Ford Boss Speaks Out About the F-150 Lightning, “Ford Keeps Trying to Reinvent the Wheel For Something That’s Been Very Successful For Many, Many Years”

New Ford Lightning EV truck buyers and other Ford EV customers can't find the trucks or cars they want. 

Because of this, Ford has made a significant shift in its EV distribution strategy, opting to deliver its F-150 Lightning EV trucks directly to dealers instead of storing them at regional hubs. This change has implications for all Ford EV buyers, and here's what you need to know.

Ford Motor Company decided to make a significant change. 

Following a failed pilot program that did not gain traction among skeptical retailers, Ford has abandoned its plan to stock and distribute electric vehicles through regional inventory hubs. This decision, as reported by Automotive News, has led to a significant change in Ford's EV distribution strategy. 

The pilot program was designed to eliminate 'burdensome floorplan expenses for retailers and make Ford's distribution model more cost-competitive with rivals such as Tesla that don't use franchised dealerships.

The report says, "Ford intended to store unsold EVs not on dealership lots but rather at one of 21 "rapid replenishment centers" around the U.S., then deliver them to stores within two weeks of being ordered by a customer.”

Imagine going into a Ford dealer, looking for a 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning, and the dealer only has a few EV trucks on the lot. The dealer doesn't have the color and trim level you want. 

Ford has plenty of EV trucks and other EV cars at its distribution centers nationwide, but it will take ten days for them to ship them to the dealer. Now you have to wait, and you need the new vehicle now. That scenario was happening thousands of times across the nation at Ford dealers.

Ford Dealers Say the Plan Didn't Work

"We think our distribution model today is about $2,000 per unit more expensive than Tesla," Farley said in a 2022 presentation to investors. "About a third of that is inventory. We have all this inventory sitting around in dealers, in transit — got to get rid of all that."

Ford Abandons the Program

Ford reassured dealers at the 2025 NADA Show and in subsequent internal video messages that they were discontinuing the system and returning the Lightning to the traditional wholesale process used for every other model.

"Our intent all along was to serve the customer better," Mike O'Brien, Ford's senior director of retail network and sales strategy, told Automotive News. "We think the pilot, from an operational perspective, was a big success. That being said, we listen to our dealers. There's been a lot of shifts in the marketplace. Having two different [sales] methodologies is a little tricky."

A Critical Flaw

A critical flaw was that EV inventory became invisible to most consumers outside of Ford's website, said Eddie Stivers, who chairs the dealer council. Because the vehicles awaiting buyers were still owned by Ford instead of a particular store, they couldn't be listed on dealer sites or third-party aggregators such as Cars.com and AutoTrader.

"It was great in theory. Practically speaking, it didn't turn out the best," Stivers said. "The [rapid replenishment centers], the entire time, were a pilot. Some pilots work, and some don't function. We as dealers should applaud Ford for trying something new but being willing to recognize when it didn't work out as theorized."

Ford dealers felt deviating from the traditional sales method was a mistake.

Ford Tried To Reinvent the Wheel

"They keep trying to reinvent the wheel for something that's been very successful for many, many years," one Ford general manager told Automotive News who asked not to be identified.

Other dealers told Automotive News that they couldn't get window stickers for available EVs, so they could not give customers detailed breakdowns beyond a vehicle's price. 

"Although they appreciated having no floorplan expenses for the Lightning, they said customers who visit their stores typically want to compare various trims and packages and that stocking only a few demo units wasn't sufficient."

What Does It Mean for Ford EV Customers?

Now, Ford dealers will have a significantly larger inventory of F-150 Lightning and other Ford EV models on their lots for customers. This means customers won't have to wait 10 days to get the "vehicle of their dreams." 

Mike O'Brien, Ford's senior director of retail network and sales strategy, says, "Having the vehicles on the lot? Yeah, we do think that's probably important," he said. "Do they need 100 of them? I don't think they need 100."

I wrote a report on how Ford paid its U.S. dealers to take F-150 Lightning pickups from its new EV distribution centers. Check out my report here.

Dealer bonuses were another way Ford tried to spur Lightning EV sales, providing an encouraging sign for potential buyers.

The report said Ford paid dealers $1,000 for the first nine XLT, Flash, Lariat, or Platinum Lightnings they took from an RRC. According to the leaked memo, they paid dealers $1,500 for taking 10 to 15 trucks, including an extra $500 for each of the first nine. The maximum bonus is $22,500 if Ford dealers buy 15 trucks.

Mike DeYoung, senior director of Ford sales and merchandising, highlighted the efficiency of the process, stating that the centers currently deliver the F-150 Lightings to dealers within an average of seven days.

Even though U.S. sales of the F-150 Lightning were up 86 percent last year to 22,807 through September, Ford began the year by slashing planned production and cutting two-thirds of the workforce that builds the trucks in Dearborn, Michigan. 

Final Thoughts and Questions for F-150 Lightning Owners

If you're looking for a new Ford F-150 Lightning EV pickup, shoppers can find a great deal now. With Ford's dealer incentives on Lightnings, the spring sales season will be tremendous for new truck shoppers.

It’s Your Turn

We want to hear from you if you've recently purchased an F-150 Lightning or another Ford EV. What kind of a price break did you get? Click the red Add New Comment link below and share your experience. Your feedback is valuable to us and to other potential buyers.

Check out my Ford F-150 Lightning report: Ford Is Desperate to Move Out Its F-150 Lightning, and I’m Looking at This $200-a-Month Tempting Lease. But, No! I’ll Keep My Chevy Silverado with 100K Miles

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl