Ford is planning a seven-week production halt for its all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck, with the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center set to idle from November 15, 2024, through January 6, 2025, according to a report from Automotive News. The production pause will impact about 800 workers, including 750 hourly employees, as Ford recalibrates its output strategy.
In a statement shared via email, Ford spokesperson Jessica Enoch explained, “We continue to adjust production for an optimal mix of sales growth and profitability.” Ford has previously adjusted F-150 Lightning production, reducing its hourly workforce by two-thirds earlier in 2024 to align with revised targets, per Detroit Free Press. Additionally, a temporary production halt was implemented earlier in the year to address a quality issue, with production resuming after nine weeks.
While the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center was initially slated to begin producing the 2025 F-150 Lightning this November, the delay suggests that production for the new model will start early next year.
Despite these adjustments, the F-150 Lightning has posted strong year-over-year growth, with an 86% rise in sales and 22,807 units sold in the first three quarters of 2024, though the model recently ceded its title as the best-selling electric pickup in the U.S. to the Tesla Cybertruck.
