Ford to restart F-150 Lightning production on March 13
The automaker halted work after a battery problem caused one of the electric trucks to catch fire.
Ford announced plans to restart production of the F-150 Lightning on March 13, several weeks after putting the electric vehicle on hold. It suspended production and sent a stop shipping order to dealers after a battery problem caused one of the trucks to catch fire in a holding lot on Feb. 4. It's unclear exactly what led to the fire or how Ford resolved the issue, although the company said there was no indication that a charging fault was to blame.
The automaker told CNBCthat setting a March 13 target gives supplier SK On more time to ramp up battery production at its Georgia factory and deliver the packs to the F-150 Lightning factory in Michigan. "In the weeks ahead, we will continue to apply our knowledge and work with the team at SK On to ensure we continue to deliver high quality batteries - right down to the battery cells," Ford said. . "As REVC [Rouge Electric Vehicle Center] ramps up production, we will continue to retain previously produced vehicles while we work on engineering and parts updates."
Since the start of production of the F-150 Lightning last April, Ford has sold less than 20,000 electric vehicles. Still, the F-150 Lightning is in high demand. Ford initially capped reservations at 200,000 in 2021 before reopening them last August. The truck's early popularity is no surprise, however - the F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for 41 years.
Ford had hoped to increase F-150 Lightning production to 150,000 trucks a year this year. Last year, the company said the new battery technology would help it reach a global production rate of 600,000 EVs per year by the end of 2023. However, it's unclear how long shutdown affected these plans.
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The automaker halted work after a battery problem caused one of the electric trucks to catch fire.
Ford announced plans to restart production of the F-150 Lightning on March 13, several weeks after putting the electric vehicle on hold. It suspended production and sent a stop shipping order to dealers after a battery problem caused one of the trucks to catch fire in a holding lot on Feb. 4. It's unclear exactly what led to the fire or how Ford resolved the issue, although the company said there was no indication that a charging fault was to blame.
The automaker told CNBCthat setting a March 13 target gives supplier SK On more time to ramp up battery production at its Georgia factory and deliver the packs to the F-150 Lightning factory in Michigan. "In the weeks ahead, we will continue to apply our knowledge and work with the team at SK On to ensure we continue to deliver high quality batteries - right down to the battery cells," Ford said. . "As REVC [Rouge Electric Vehicle Center] ramps up production, we will continue to retain previously produced vehicles while we work on engineering and parts updates."
Since the start of production of the F-150 Lightning last April, Ford has sold less than 20,000 electric vehicles. Still, the F-150 Lightning is in high demand. Ford initially capped reservations at 200,000 in 2021 before reopening them last August. The truck's early popularity is no surprise, however - the F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for 41 years.
Ford had hoped to increase F-150 Lightning production to 150,000 trucks a year this year. Last year, the company said the new battery technology would help it reach a global production rate of 600,000 EVs per year by the end of 2023. However, it's unclear how long shutdown affected these plans.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices correct at time of publication.
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