• Ford adds a production shift for the F-150 Lightning.
• The very strong demand for the model forces the company to add a team to its Rouge factory in Dearborn.
• Ford aims to produce 150,000 Lightning annually starting next fall.
Ford announced this week that it is ramping up production of its all-electric pickup truck, the Lightning version of its F-150. To do this, it will add a third shift to its Rouge assembly plant located near Detroit, more precisely in Dearborn.
Two hundred and fifty jobs were created to set up this third work team dedicated to manufacturing the Lightning model.
The good news for Ford is that if it has to do so, interest is high for its product. Ted Cannis, Ford’s commercial vehicle manager, said the company is seeing “huge demand” for its model. More than manufacturing capacity, basically.
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The company has already declared that it is aiming for an annual production of 150,000 units by the fall of 2023. This is one more step that has been taken towards achieving this objective.
One of the reasons that demand is increasing significantly has to do with subsidies on the US side under the US Inflation Reduction Act. Ford anticipates that this will increase demand for its electric pickup truck, but also for its E-Transit van. Ted Cannis added that many companies with parks do not yet know if they can take advantage of these subsidies. This will play on demand, it goes without saying.
