Spy photographers have snapped a slightly more rugged Ford F-150 Lightning.
It features a unique grille, side steps, and 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires.
This appears to be a half-hearted effort to counter the Silverado EV Trail Boss.
Rugged trucks are big business and Ford offers an assortment of off-road focused models including the F-150 Tremor and F-150 Raptor. Besides dedicated trims, customers can get an FX4 off-road package.
Despite the popularity of these models, Ford hasn’t seen it fit to offer a rugged F-150 Lightning. It’s a strange oversight considering General Motors offers the Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss, the GMC Sierra EV AT4, and GMC Hummer EV Pickup.
Ford is now gearing up to respond, but fans shouldn’t get too excited as it looks like the company is raiding the parts bin to cobble together a soft-roader. The changes are so small they’re easy to overlook, but the prototype appears to be riding on black 18-inch wheels sourced from the old F-150 Rattler. They’re wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires, which are a tad meatier than the all-season rubber typically found on higher-end versions of the truck.
We can also see side steps, covered badging, and some light camouflage. The latter could potentially be hiding a hood graphic as well as bedside decals.
Baldauf
Additional changes are limited, but we can see a brand-new grille with a prominent blue line. This echoes the F-150 Tremor, which has an orange grille accent. Spy photographers also noted the bright blue exterior appears to be new to the F-150 Lightning lineup.
Spy photographers didn’t get a good look inside, but the seats were covered. This could indicate they’ll have special embroidery, but that remains to be seen.
We’ll learn full details soon enough, but the current truck offers 98, 123, and 131 kWh battery packs. They’re paired to dual-motor all-wheel drive systems developing between 452 hp (337 kW / 458 PS) and 580 hp (433 kW / 588 PS).
Ford planned a new electric truck to eventually replace the current F-150 Lightning.
The next-gen E-Transit has been delayed from 2026 to a 2028 launch window.
Last year, Ford axed plans for a three-row electric SUV to rival the Kia EV9.
As electric vehicle plans get reshuffled across the industry, Ford is once again adjusting its timeline. Two major EVs are being pushed back, and the focus is shifting toward smaller, more budget-friendly models, including a compact electric pickup that’s now taking priority.
Suppliers were recently informed by Ford that the planned full-size electric pickup, to be produced at the new BlueOval City assembly plant in Tennessee, has been pushed back from 2027 to 2028. This new model will be a successor to the F-150 Lightning. In addition, the next-generation E-Transit will no longer launch in 2026 as originally planned, but rather in 2028.
Another Round of Delays
This is not the first time Ford has delayed the two models. As noted by Yahoo!, the new E-Transit was originally set to launch “mid-decade” after it was first announced in 2022. Similarly, the new electric pickup codenamed T3 was originally scheduled to launch this year. Just 12 months ago, Ford also killed plans for a three-row electric SUV that would have rivaled the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9.
“F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling electric truck, and E-Transit continue to meet today’s customer needs,” Ford said in a recent statement. “We remain focused on delivering our Ford+ plan and will be nimble in adjusting our product launch timing to meet market needs and customer demand while targeting improved profitability.”
Shifting Toward Smaller EVs
Ford is now favoring smaller EVs. It is hard at work developing a new low-cost EV platform that will underpin several different vehicles, starting with a new compact pickup truck in 2028. According to chief executive Jim Farley, small EVs currently make the most sense in the US.
“The pure EV market in the U.S. seems to us very clear: small vehicles used for commuting and around town, so to speak,” he said. “And commercial… we think that’s going to be a robust business, but we want to shrink the number of top hats. We’re going to have just a few. And we’ve made the adjustments in timing, we think, and to be in segments where we can actually make money on EVs.”
Despite the delay, Ford says its plant in Tennessee will start making prototypes of the new T3 electric pickup in 2027
A Familiar Name Might Return
There’s also a possible nod to the past in Ford’s future product line. As uncovered by Ford Authority, the company recently filed to trademark the name Ranchero, once a classic car-truck hybrid from Ford’s history. The filing, submitted on August 5, 2025, covers both electric and gasoline-powered vehicles.
While there’s no official confirmation, the move would follow a familiar pattern, as Ford has revived other heritage names like Maverick and Lightning in recent years. The timing also lines up with an anticipated announcement about the brand’s new EV platform on August 11.
Electric SuperTruck with 1,600 hp beat every car up the Goodwood hillclimb course.
Romain Dumas set a 43.23-second time in Ford’s wild triple-motor electric truck.
Koenigsegg’s Sadair’s Spear broke the production car record with a 47.14-second run.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed once again gathered an extraordinary mix of some of the world’s rarest, fastest, and most eye-wateringly expensive cars over the weekend. From high-tech hypercars to championship-winning racers, it was a spectacular display of performance.
Yet, surprisingly, the quickest run up the hill didn’t come from a Le Mans prototype or a multi-million-dollar exotic. Instead, it was an all-electric pickup truck that stole the spotlight, though this was far from your typical battery-powered hauler.
The vehicle in question is Ford’s insane F-150 Lightning SuperTruck. Unveiled in mid-2024, it quickly took out top honors at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and this past weekend, experienced racing driver Romain Dumas jumped behind the wheel to tackle the Goodwood hillclimb. Last year, he piloted the Ford SuperVan 4.2 to victory, setting a blistering time of 43.98 seconds.
Ford’s SuperTruck Delivers a Blistering Run
Ford’s SuperTruck proved to be even quicker. During his final run of the weekend, Dumas set a time of 43.23 seconds. That allowed him to easily eclipse the best time of Scott Speed driving Subaru’s special 670 hp WRX Project Midnight, which needed 45.03 seconds to run up the hillclimb.
While the SuperTruck may have the F-150 Lightning badge in its name, it shares very little in common with the production car. A trio of electric motors allows it to pump out upwards of 1,600 hp. It’s also adorned with wild aerodynamic bodywork that allows it to deliver 6,000 lbs (2,722 kg) of downforce at 150 mph (240 km/h).
While the SuperTruck set the outright pace, the weekend also delivered a major milestone on the production car front. Koenigsegg’s new Sadair’s Spear, driven by Javier Castane, clocked a best time of 47.14 seconds. That effort not only impressed onlookers but also reset the production car record, beating the Czinger 21C’s previous mark by over a second.
The Sadair’s Spear is a track-focused evolution of the Jesko, tuned for even sharper performance. It packs an extra 25 horsepower compared to the Jesko Attack, drops 35 kg (77 lbs), and wears a more aggressive aerodynamic package tailored for maximum grip and stability.
Ford’s electric vehicle sales dropped 31.4 percent in the second quarter.
Mustang Mach-E sales fell 19.5 percent in Q2 compared to last year.
The group’s Hybrid vehicle sales grew 27.4 percent year-to-date.
While many still expect President Trump’s tariffs and the accompanying price increases to drag down new car sales across the U.S. this year, Ford’s latest data tells a different story. The company posted a strong first half, following the general market trend that saw sales increases across most major car makers.
Ford’s total U.S. deliveries climbed 6.6 percent year-over-year in the first half. However, this upward trend doesn’t extend to Ford’s electric vehicle lineup, which has seen a sharp drop in demand across several key models.
Electric Sales Lose Ground
Through the first six months of the year, Ford sold 21,785 units of the Mustang Mach-E in the States, a 2 percent decline from the 22,234 sold during the same period last year. More concerning is the model’s second-quarter performance. Between April and June, Ford delivered 10,178 Mach-Es, down 19.5 percent from the 12,645 sold in Q2 of the previous year.
The gas-powered Mustang hasn’t been immune to slowing demand either. Sales fell 14.2 percent in the first half of the year, totaling 23,551 units. However, in the second quarter, it regained some ground, with 14,174 units sold, an increase of 3.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
That uptick allowed the gas-powered Mustang to outsell its electric counterpart in Q2, even though it still trails in year-to-date totals.
Lightning and E-Transit See Steep Declines
Interest in the E-Transit has also dropped off a cliff. In the first half, sales are down 33.8 percent to 4,174, while in Q2, things were even worse. Ford sold just 418 E-Transits during Q2, down 87.7 percent from the year prior. Sales of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning are also down, with 13,029 units sold this year, a drop of 16.7 percent. Sales declined by 26.1 percent in Q2 to 5,842 units sold, compared to 7,902 last year.
In total, Ford’s electric vehicle sales dropped 31.4 percent in the second quarter and 11.8 percent through the first half of the year. The good news for the company lies with hybrids, which are moving in the opposite direction. Hybrid sales rose 23.5 percent in Q2 to 66,448 units and are up 27.4 percent year-to-date, totaling 117,521.
Lincoln Sees Steady Growth
Lincoln also posted solid gains in the first half of the year, driven by strong demand for its SUV lineup. Total brand sales rose 12.8 percent year-over-year to 55,063 units, with a particularly strong showing in the second quarter, where sales climbed 31 percent to 31,332.
The Navigator stood out with an impressive 114.9 percent jump in Q2 sales, while the Aviator, Nautilus, and Corsair also posted double-digit increases. While Lincoln’s overall volume is modest compared to the Ford brand, its steady upward trend suggests growing interest in its premium offerings.
Strong Combustion and Hybrid Growth Balances Out EV Dip
Despite the sharp drop in EV sales, Ford and its Lincoln brand powered through, selling 1,113,386 vehicles in the US during the first half, a solid 6.6 percent increase over last year. The second quarter stood out with 612,095 new Ford and Lincolns finding buyers, marking a 14.2 percent jump from the previous year’s 536,050.
The RAV4 reportedly topped global 2024 sales, narrowly beating the Model Y.
Toyota claimed five of the world’s top ten vehicles in 2024’s sales rankings.
The BYD Qin was the only Chinese vehicle to crack the global top ten list.
Even as the global car market continues to shift, one thing remains certain: Toyota knows how to move metal. After a brief detour in second place, the Toyota RAV4 is back on top as the world’s best-selling car, edging out the Tesla Model Y by a sliver.
And it’s not just the soon-to-be-replaced RAV4 doing the heavy lifting, as Toyota has managed to land five models in the global top ten, including the Corolla Cross, Corolla sedan, Hilux, and Camry.
This ranking comes from industry analyst Felipe Munoz, who compiled a detailed snapshot of 2024’s global car sales by model. His methodology pulls from a wide mix of sources, including national statistics offices, dealership associations, customs data, specialized websites, blogs, other analysts, and informed estimates. According to Munoz, the ranking covers 153 markets, accounting for roughly 99% of all cars sold globally.
Toyota Retakes the Lead, Barely
Combined sales of the Toyota RAV4 and its China-market twin, the Wildlander, reached 1,187,000 units in 2024. That was just enough to slide past the Tesla Model Y, which landed at 1,185,000 units. It’s a narrow win, but a win nonetheless.
That said, the Model Y still holds the title for best-selling EV worldwide by a comfortable margin. Its 2025 numbers, however, are already showing signs of slowing.
Compact Crossovers Keep Climbing
The Toyota Corolla Cross occupied the third place with 859,000 sales, benefiting from the fact it is offered in many different markets around the world. The compact crossover was closely followed by the Honda CR-V/Breeze SUV that sold 854,000 units.
Toyota’s dominance continues with the Corolla / Levin Sedan (697,000 units) in the fifth place and the Toyota Hilux (617,000 units) in the sixth place.
World’s Best Selling Pickup
The aging Hilux is due for a new generation soon, but that didn’t stop it from becoming the world’s best-selling pickup. Despite not being sold in North America or China, two massive truck markets, it still managed to outpace all competitors. Right behind it in the global rankings is the Ford F-150, which sold 595,000 units and claimed seventh place overall. In the US, the F-150 was the second best-selling vehicle of 2024, coming in just behind the RAV4.
Rounding out the top ten are three sedans that continue to hold their ground in a market that increasingly leans toward crossovers and SUVs. The Toyota Camry took eighth with 593,000 sales, followed by the Tesla Model 3 at 560,000 and the BYD Qin at 502,000. BYD’s entry marks the only Chinese brand on the list this year, underscoring the company’s steady rise as a global competitor in both EVs and internal combustion vehicles.
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