Ford Reduces F-150 Lightning Production Amidst Multiple Challenges: What It Means for the Future

Ford has made a decision to modify its production shift at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, the manufacturing hub for its electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck according to Yahoo.

This adjustment is a result of several challenges, including supply chain issues and the need to address vehicles retained for post-production quality checks since their August restart.

The reduction in shift will impact approximately 700 employees. Ford assures that this change is not a consequence of the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) disputes taking place at other manufacturing sites. The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted a UAW memo which suggested a decrease in demand for the electric F-150 Lightning in the US market.

The F-150 Lightning journey commenced at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Centre in April 2022, and since then, the manufacturing target has been augmented twice, settling at 150,000 vehicles per year. There have been occasional pauses in its production, with a notable stop due to a battery problem which was later identified as an infrequent incident, not linked to the vehicle's design.

In efforts to invigorate sales, Ford has introduced reductions on the F-150 Lightning's price, slashing up to US$10,000. Customers can still benefit from a US$7,500 federal tax credit for the Lariat and Platinum versions.

The company's Q3 report revealed a 46% drop in sales from the previous year, amounting to 3,503 units. However, Ford remains optimistic, forecasting improved sales figures for the fourth quarter.

The company has not provided clarity regarding the effect of this production modification on the availability of the F-150 Lightning in Australia.

Ford Australia acknowledges the existence of the F-150 Lightning and other variants but maintains that the introduction of these models will be contingent on the success of the locally adapted combustion-engine F-150, which will launch in November.