Ford wants to be Top 2 electric vehicle maker in two years

Ford's ambitious electric vehicle (EV) plans continue. Just over half a year after revealing its first all-electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, Ford is again making waves in the industry with its latest announcement.

The American automaker now expects to sell nearly 600,000 vehicles annually within two years—all on its way to cracking the Top 2 spot for EV production. What has sparked this optimism? It's the F-150 Lightning, no less.

The yet-to-be-released electrified pickup is approaching 200,000 reservations. That figure is a serious number, and it could explain why Ford has become more confident in its EV capabilities this past year.

While Ford is currently riding on its good fortune, the climb to Top 2 status may not be an easy one. AutoForecast Solutions has said that Ford could be vying for only the third spot by 2025. 

Perhaps the fiercest competitor is Stellantis, a company with over 15 brands under its belt, including Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep. On top of that, there's Volkswagen, a brand dead set on bringing a viable solid-state battery to the market sooner rather than later. 

Of course, atop the list is Tesla, the world's most popular EV maker. The Elon Musk-led company doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Its impending Cybertruck could even put a dent on the F-150 Lightning's sales when it inevitably releases. 

To achieve its goal of becoming a Top 2 EV producer, Ford would have to change things up at a scale it hasn't seen in decades. The Mustang Mach-E was a start, but it may not be enough to cement Ford as a truly powerhouse EV company. 

It will have to add more models across valuable segments. Production will also need to rise to meet demand, of which there is a steadily increasing amount. One forecast pegs the company's EV production at 695,000 units in 2025 and 1.14 million units in 2028. Top 2 likely calls for better numbers than that. The question is, will Ford step up its game?