Not a Ford employee here. I don't know if the company is at risk of failing, but it is a big bet.
I looked into the Lightning. It sounds great. Thing is:
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you can't actually buy it for $40K. Dealer's are marking them way up.
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what you get in the supposed 40K isn't that great. They reserve the better feature for higher trim levels (and WAY more $$$) or for fleet purchasers. What's up with that?
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The whole battery thing is still iffy. It will cost for a charger. Even more for a fast charger. It will cost to get the charger installed. Ka-ching. Ka-ching. What happens when the battery wears out?
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I watched the recent Florida hurricane on the news. I'm thinking, would I want to be evacuate in this vehicle? Heck no. What would be worse than the battery dying while I'm on the highway trying to evacuate?
I heard there was a Detroit Autoshow but the auto companies wouldn't open the EV hoods / (trunks) to let you see what's there. Maybe it isn't as "simple" as they'd like us to believe.
I'd be buying it as a "gentlemen" truck. Folks that would buy it as a real "work" truck probably have an even lower opinion of the Lightning, especially as you mentioned the towing issue.
So, yeah, if other people think like me, Ford might be in trouble. Or maybe, if they are really committed to this, they will be the first major adopter and a winner. I dunno.