Ford, the established automotive giant, has made a significant decision regarding the production of its flagship electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning. Facing changing market dynamics and competitive conditions, the company has chosen to optimize its production strategy, implementing a two-month production pause beginning November 15.
According to Ford’s corporate communications spokesperson Jessica Enoch’s statement to Electrek, this decision aims to optimize the balance between sales growth and profitability. Production is expected to resume on January 6, 2025.
In this period of intensifying competition in the electric vehicle market, Tesla’s Cybertruck has captured attention with 16,692 units sold in the third quarter, while the F-150 Lightning recorded 7,162 sales. The market is expected to become even more competitive with the entry of new rivals like the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV.
Earlier this year, Ford optimized its workforce at the Rouge EV production center, reducing staff by one-third. Instead of layoffs, solutions included retirement incentives and transfers to other facilities. Particularly, 700 workers were transferred to facilities producing Bronco and Ranger models to increase efficiency. The company also adjusted to market realities by reducing its weekly production target from 3,200 to 1,600 vehicles at the beginning of 2024.