The growth rate for electric-vehicle adoption has recently been in something of a lull, and automakers have responded with a widespread pullback in EV investment. Ford is no different, with the automaker planning to scale back production of the F-150 Lightning next year.
That’s based on an internal planning memo, which was obtained and reported on by Automotive News. Ford reportedly told suppliers to expect an average volume of roughly 1600 Lightnings per week at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, beginning in January. That figure is half of the 3200 Lightnings that Ford had previously expected to produce, with the ultimate goal of building 150,000 units per year.
AN also reported that the reduction will come as Ford attempts to match “changing market demand.” To that end, the company said in a statement Monday that it will “continue to match production to customer demand.”
This past October, Ford temporarily idled one of three shifts at the Lightning plant, a move that affected roughly 700 workers. The move came shortly after the manufacturer added a third shift to the Lightning production line.
In spite of the slowed production, Ford is managing to move F-150 Lightnings this year. The company sold 20,365 electric trucks through November of this year, marking a 54 percent increase over last year. It also achieved its highest month of sales yet, selling 4393 of the electric truck in November. Though, to put those figures in the perspective of Ford’s greater sales numbers, the automaker sold 190,477 total trucks in the third quarter of 2023 alone.
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.