Manufacturing of the Ford F-150 Lightning will reportedly be paused for six weeks, representing the newest bump within the highway for the as soon as extremely anticipated electrical pickup.
As reported by Reuters, the F-150 Lightning’s manufacturing line will probably be offline from November 18, 2024 to January 6, 2025, a six-week interval that features one vacation week in December when it was initially deliberate to be paused.
A Ford spokesperson informed the publication, “we proceed to regulate manufacturing for an optimum mixture of gross sales progress and profitability”.
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Whereas gross sales of the F-150 Lightning doubled between July and September in comparison with the identical three months final 12 months, the 7100 examples bought within the US represented lower than 4 per cent of all F-Collection deliveries in that point.
The manufacturing pause is the newest drawback for the F-150 Lightning, which upon its launch in 2022 was anticipated to offer a major increase in electrical car (EV) adoption, providing battery energy in North America’s hottest new car.
After launching it because the second electrical pickup within the US – shortly after the Rivian R1T – Ford quickly elevated its manufacturing plans for the F-150 Lightning, following excessive demand after first deliveries in 2022.
Nevertheless, patrons quickly began to show away from the pickup, leading to a number of subsequent manufacturing plan cuts to make sure oversupply was decreased.
In January, it was introduced there will probably be only one shift a day working on the Ford F-150 Lightning’s manufacturing facility, down from the height of three shifts when demand was at its highest.
Deliveries had been paused in February attributable to an unspecified high quality subject, which was adopted in April by reducing manufacturing down to 1 shift from three.
Ford’s manufacturing pause additionally comes shortly after it introduced that it will delay the launch of the F-150 Lightning’s successor to the second half of 2027, properly behind its deliberate 2025 debut.
In August, Ford mentioned this could higher enable it to capitalise on lower-cost battery know-how “and make the most of different price breakthroughs whereas the market continues to develop”.
It additionally axed plans to develop a three-row electrical SUV, as an alternative specializing in introducing extra hybrid drivetrains within the section.
Hybrids have turn out to be an growing focus for Ford within the US, the place the newest replace for the petrol-powered F-150 noticed the model provide its 3.5-litre V6 engine with the choice of hybrid help for no further price.
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