Ford says it is cutting production of the F-150 Lightning attributable to decrease than anticipated demand. As of April 1, the Rouge Electrical Automobile Middle (the Michigan plant the place the electrical pickup is constructed) will transition from two manufacturing shifts to 1. That may have an effect on roughly 1,400 employees.
The automaker says it’ll switch round half of these to its Michigan Meeting Plant, the place it is placing collectively a 3rd crew to construct extra of the Bronco and Bronco Raptor, in addition to the brand new Ranger and Ranger Raptor to satisfy demand. The corporate is hiring one other 900 employees to fill that shift.
The remainder of the affected F-150 Lightning employees shall be reassigned to totally different roles on the Rouge plant or Ford’s different amenities within the area. That’s, except they take up a retirement incentive provide.
Ford did not say by how a lot it is lowering manufacturing of the F-150 Lightning. Nevertheless, by transferring from two shifts to 1, that signifies output will drop roughly by half, which aligns with latest stories. In response to CNBC, Ford deliberate to chop manufacturing from round 3,200 items per week to 1,600.
The automaker retooled the Rouge facility in 2023 in order that it could have an annual F-150 Lightning capability of up to 150,000. Nevertheless, demand hasn’t stored up. Whereas gross sales of the EV have been up by 55 % final yr, it hasn’t been selling as quickly because it did beforehand.
The corporate says that it expects EV gross sales to proceed to develop globally this yr, however at a decrease fee than beforehand anticipated. With that in thoughts, in addition to the very fact Ford is readying next-gen EVs, the corporate has determined to drag again on F-150 Lightning manufacturing for the foreseeable future.
That is not the solely EV Ford has scaled again on both. In November, it slashed production of the Mustang Mach-E.
“We’re profiting from our manufacturing flexibility to supply prospects decisions whereas balancing our progress and profitability. Prospects love the F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling EV pickup,” Ford President and CEO Jim Farley stated. “We see a vivid future for electrical automobiles for particular shoppers, particularly with our upcoming digitally superior EVs and access to Tesla’s charging network beginning this quarter.”
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ford-is-cutting-f-150-lightning-production-due-to-waning-demand-173838340.html?src=rss
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