F-150 Lightning was first electric pickup open to federal agencies

The Ford F-150 Lightning was the first electric pickup truck available to federal agencies for fleet use—but because it’s currently sold out, those agencies can’t order any of the trucks.

Outside first reported that the United States Forest Service (USFS) is currently evaluating the Lightning, and that it is the only electric pickup available through the Government Services Administration (GSA), which handles federal vehicle purchases.

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford Pro spokesperson Elizabeth Kraft confirmed to Green Car Reports that the F-150 Lightning is the only electric truck available on the GSA list, but since it’s currently sold out, it does not appear on the list at this time.

Ford has already raised the price of the base F-150 Lightning Pro—the most likely one for the fleet—by more than $12,000, so the USFS and other government agencies that want to purchase trucks will be paying more.

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

EV purchases help agencies comply with the Biden administration’s Executive Order 14057—”Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Economy Through Federal Sustainability”—which directs federal agencies to make all new light-duty federal fleet vehicles electric by 2027, expanding to include all other vehicles by 2035. That sets the stage for the entire federal vehicle fleet—totaling more than 600,000 vehicles—to go electric.

The Biden administration has held true to some but not all of its EV-related platform. In addition to moving toward an all-electric federal fleet, the administration has made progress on other points, including a revitalized EV tax credit, expanded charging infrastructure, and stronger fuel-economy rules. Yet the plan for a national charging network doesn’t address all so-called “charging deserts,” and the revamped EV tax credit will exclude many models in the near term due to new price caps and domestic-assembly requirements.

There are more options on the way. With deliveries of the Lordstown Endurance already starting, utilitarian Canoo electric trucks on the way, and the Chevy Silverado EV due next year—albeit in pricier versions with a $39,900 base model available later—the list of eligible electric trucks won’t be so exclusive for long.