Ford has announced that it will increase production of its electric vehicles (EVs) at several of its manufacturing plants in North America. This decision comes as Fordās EV sales have seen an impressive 68% increase through February, signaling the automakerās continued commitment to electrification.
To meet growing demand, Ford will produce more of its popular EV models, including the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit, at its manufacturing facilities in Cuautitlan (Mexico), Detroit, and Kansas City.
In Mexico, Ford has already begun to increase production of the Mustang Mach-E, with changes made to the plantās operations allowing for a near doubling of hourly production. The automaker aims to reach an annual manufacturing run rate of 210,000 units by the end of the year, up from last year’s 80,000.
The Mustang Mach-E has helped Ford become the second-largest seller of EVs in the US, with more than two-thirds of customers coming from other brands.
In Michigan, Ford is set to triple production of its best-selling electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center this year. The automaker aims to achieve an annual production run rate of 150,000 units by the end of 2023.
After a temporary production halt due to a battery issue detected by supplier SK, Ford will resume F-150 Lightning production on March 13. The automaker is investing $2 billion across three plants in Michigan to increase production, creating 3,200 new jobs in the process.
Ford is also expanding production of the E-Transit van, Americaās best-selling electric van in 2022, at its Kansas City Assembly Plant. The automaker plans to add an additional crew in April to help achieve an annual production increase of 38,000 vehicles (E-Transit and Transit combined), investing $95 million and adding 1,100 jobs as part of the expansion.
See also: Ford E-Transit Custom specifications : Everything you need to know
Along with EVs, Ford is also increasing production of gas and hybrid variants of its Bronco Sport, Maverick, and F-150. This expansion in production across all models aligns with the automakerās goal to provide customers with a range of options to fit their individual preferences and needs.
āWe have had a strong start to 2023 sales and we are moving to fast-track quality production. Increasing production benefits both our customers and our business,ā said Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford Blue.
