(Reuters) - Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Co will launch its popular F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck in Norway, the U.S. automaker said on Thursday, as it hopes to tap into high demand for electric vehicles globally.
The electric version of Ford's longstanding F-150 workhorse has stayed resilient in the U.S. despite a series of price hikes since its launch in 2022.
Although buyers in most European cities - which tend to have narrower roads - prefer compact hatchbacks and smaller crossover SUVs, demand for electric vehicles is strong in Norway; four out of five cars sold there over the last year were battery-powered.
The big pickup may not be ideal for Oslo's streets, but in the countryside, owners could "bring a lot of deer with them to the cabin," said Per Gunnar Berg, managing director, Ford Norway.
Ford, which will sell the pickup through its authorized dealer network in Norway, said deliveries will begin next year.
The launch comes a month after the company said its electric vehicle business unit could lose $3 billion this year, but remains on track to achieve a pre-tax margin of 8% by late 2026.