Approximately half of Ford Motor’s planned production of its all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup is scheduled to occur next year. This represents a significant reversal for the automaker, which in 2023 greatly expanded plant capacity for the electric vehicle.
A source familiar with the decision says that the new production plans call for an average volume of about 1,600 F-150 Lightnings per week at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, beginning in January. According to the automaker’s most recent plans, an average of 3,200 of the cars would be produced each week.
Ford said on Monday that “We’ll continue to match production with customer demand,”
Recently, Ford executives announced that the automaker will match production to demand while delaying or canceling $12 billion in planned investments in electric vehicles.
The first information about the F-150 Lightning production reductions was found in a planning memo to suppliers that Automotive News was able to obtain. According to the publication, the memo justified the cuts with reference to “changing market demand.”
Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has lagged behind expectations due to high prices and interest rates. While reevaluating their production and product plans for the upcoming years, automakers are trying to reduce the cost of producing all-electric vehicles.
Earlier this year, Ford invested six weeks to expand the F-150 Lightning’s production capacity at its Michigan plant. This increased output was anticipated to reach 150,000 all-electric vehicles, tripling the initial planned quantity.
The F-150 Lightning has seen a steady rise in sales in 2023, reaching a record-breaking monthly sales total of about 4,400 in November. Only 20,365 of the trucks have been sold by the company as of November, a 54% increase over the same month last year.
