2023-12-13 10:48:07
Ford Cuts Electric F-150 Lightning Pickup Production in Half
In a surprising move, auto giant Ford has announced that it will be cutting the planned production of the electric F-150 Lightning pickup in half for next year. The decision comes as a response to a “change in market demand,” according to the company.
Originally, Ford had projected an annual production of 150,000 units of the Lightning pickup. However, in a memo to its suppliers, the company informed that it will now be cutting that estimate in half. This decision comes after a year of heavy marketing efforts to boost sales of the electric vehicle.
According to an internal memo that was recently leaked, Ford informed its suppliers to prepare for an average production volume of about 1,600 electric vans per week starting in January at the Dearborn, Michigan plant. This is a significant reduction from the originally planned 3,200 units per week towards the annual goal of 150,000 units.
In addition to the cut in electric vehicle production, Ford also announced that the production volume of gasoline-powered vans at its Michigan and Missouri plants will be largely unchanged.
This decision comes as a surprise, given that in January 2022, Ford’s COO had expressed confidence in the demand for all-electric F-150s and had stated the company’s commitment to increasing production capacity to meet customer demand.
The reduction in electric vehicle production comes as a response to a slowdown in electric vehicle demand in the US. This, in turn, has prompted Ford and other automakers to rethink their ambitious production targets for electric vehicles.
Despite the reduction in production targets, sales of the electric Lightning pickup continue to increase. According to CEO Jim Farley, Ford sold a record 4,393 units of the electric vans in November, with year-to-date sales jumping 54% to 20,365 units. In the same month, Ford also sold 78,971 gasoline-powered vans and 12,108 hybrid vans.
As Ford and other automakers navigate the changing landscape of electric vehicle demand, it remains to be seen how they will adjust their production strategies in the coming year.
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