Ford is overwhelmed with orders for the F-150 Lightning and is taking special steps to ensure that the electric pickup truck reaches honest buyers. roadshow reports Ford now giving dealers the option to prohibit customers from reselling Lightning for up to one year after purchase. As the document (since withdrawn) on the F-150 Gen 14 forums revealed, the dealer could “seek injunctive relief” to block the transfer of ownership or even demand payment of “the entire amount” generated by the sale.
The automaker is also cracking down on a “limited number” of dealers who allegedly violated the terms of sales and service, forcing customers to make additional payments beyond those required by Ford. It’s not clear what those payments were, though it suggests they were more than the margins you often see when cars are in short supply or in high demand.
This non-resale clause is not new in the automotive world. Ford used it to ensure its GT supercar reached real owners. However, it’s still rare for EVs – particularly for relatively popular vehicles like the F-150 Lighting. This reflects Lightning’s popularity, of course, but it could also be vital for Ford. Scalping has hindered access to many other tech products such as game consoles and graphics cards – Ford probably doesn’t want these opportunists to sour the launch of such an important vehicle, especially with Chevy, Rivian and Tesla chasing many of the same customers .
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