In a recent announcement, Ford Motor reported a remarkable surge in demand for its electric truck, the F-150 Lightning, with orders skyrocketing by 600% following substantial price cuts implemented last month. To meet the heightened demand, the company is now on track to triple its annual production capacity by the fall.
Ford’s efforts to expand and revamp the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center have been instrumental in its ability to target an annual run rate of 150,000 electric truck models by this autumn. Despite experiencing a temporary shutdown at its EV plant, which resulted in limited customer deliveries in recent months, Ford is committed to accelerating the ramp-up process to meet the rising demand.
See also: Fordās Price Cuts on F-150 Lightning Draw Mixed Reactions from Investors and Experts
The Ford Rouge EV Center is anticipated to produce over 70,000 F-150 Lightning electric trucks this year, with production ramping up for US customers in the upcoming fall. This move is expected to reduce order-to-delivery times, benefitting customers.
Moreover, Ford is strategically focusing on high-demand trims, particularly the XLT, which accounts for more than 50% of new orders. The Lightning Pro trim is also now available for retail customers, albeit in limited quantities. These units will be allocated to reservation holders who have been patiently waiting since the launch.
Debbie Manzano, Director of Manufacturing, expressed enthusiasm about getting the F-150 Lightning trucks into the hands of customers, both in the US and abroad, including Norway. She attributed this milestone to the hard work and collaboration of the team.
The recent revamp at the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is expected to improve production quality and efficiency, with the introduction of new tools that automatically measure and confirm vehicle body fit with precision – a first for Ford.
Ford further informed that battery pack production is ramping up at its Rawsonville components plant, while its Van Dyke electric powertrain center is scaling production of EV power units to cater to the increasing number of vehicles passing through assembly.
Following the substantial price cuts of the F-150 Lightning (with discounts of up to nearly $10,000 on some models) last month, Ford observed a surge in demand. Since the implementation of the price reductions, the company has witnessed a 300% increase in web traffic and a staggering 600% increase in orders.
