Ford pauses F-150 Lightning production for six weeks in production restructuring

Ford Motor Company has announced a six-week production halt for its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. The Dearborn-based automaker stated that the production stoppage will run from November 18 to January 6, with its U.S. plants closed for a holiday week in December.

"We continue to adjust production for an optimal mix of sales growth and profitability," a Ford spokesperson said, explaining the decision.

The production halt comes as Ford has been scaling back its EV plans, with the company killing a planned three-row electric SUV in August and pushing back the launch of a new electric version of its best-selling F-150 pickup. Instead, Ford has been shifting more investment into hybrid vehicles, which combine an electric motor with a traditional gasoline engine.

Despite the production pause, Ford has reported that its Ford-brand U.S. EV sales are up 45% this year, and sales of the F-150 Lightning have more than doubled to 7,100 in the three months ending September 30. However, the Lightning still represents just 3.6% of all F-Series pickup sales.

In April, Ford had already cut production of the F-150 Lightning to a single shift, after announcing in October 2023 that it would temporarily reduce one of three shifts at its Michigan plant. This latest move to halt production for six weeks suggests that the company is continuing to grapple with the challenges of scaling up its EV production.

Ford CEO Jim Farley has acknowledged that one of the main solutions to slowing EV sales growth is bringing down production costs. This is a key goal for the future health of the company, which is expected to lose around USD 5 billion on EVs this year alone.

The production halt comes on the heels of Ford's third-quarter financial results, which saw the company report net income of USD 900 million, or 22 cents per share. However, this figure was hurt by a USD1 billion charge the company took over its decision to cancel production of the three-row EV SUV in August.

The challenges facing Ford's EV efforts are not unique to the company. The broader automotive industry has been grappling with supply chain disruptions, rising material costs, and shifting consumer preferences as the transition to electric vehicles accelerates. Ford's decision to pause F-150 Lightning production reflects its ongoing efforts to navigate these complex market dynamics and find the right balance between sales growth, profitability, and its long-term EV strategy.