Deliveries of the Ford F-150 Lightning – an electrical model of the best-selling car within the US – have been halted indefinitely, turning into the newest bump within the highway for the as soon as highly-anticipated mannequin.
Reuters experiences Ford has ordered a supply pause on the F-150 Lightning from its Detroit manufacturing facility, owing to an unspecified high quality concern with the electrical pickup.
Earlier this month, Ford CEO Jim Farley stated he regretted not getting on prime of the model’s infamous high quality points sooner after taking the highest job in 2020.
The paused rollout follows what has been a tumultuous three years for the F-150 Lightning because it was first unveiled by Ford in early 2021.
Launching because the second electrical pickup within the US – shortly after the Rivian R1T – Ford quickly elevated its manufacturing plans for the F-150 Lightning within the wake of excessive demand following first deliveries in 2022.
Nevertheless, consumers quickly began to show away from the pickup, leading to a number of subsequent manufacturing plan cuts to make sure oversupply was lowered.
In January, it was introduced there shall be only one shift a day working on the Ford F-150 Lightning’s manufacturing facility, down from the height of three shifts when demand was at its highest.
Roughly 1600 F-150 Lightnings are constructed each week, understanding to about 83,000 examples yearly – removed from Ford’s peak prediction of 150,000 yearly gross sales.
A left-hand drive F-150 Lightning has beforehand been noticed in Melbourne, although Ford has remained coy on its plans to deliver the electrical pickup to native showrooms.
Reuters additionally experiences US deliveries of the facelifted petrol-powered F-150 are attributable to start shortly, following the up to date pickup’s reveal final yr.
Whereas manufacturing of the 2024 Ford F-150 started in December, the corporate solely deliberate to start out US deliveries in late February or early March, telling the publication it’s working on schedule.
As beforehand reported, the up to date Ford F-150 marks a primary for the corporate, with US consumers supplied the selection for the pickup’s base 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine to undertake hybrid energy for no further value.
At current, the Ford F-150 is just bought in Australia with its non-hybrid 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, and all examples are the pre-facelifted mannequin which launched abroad in 2020 however solely arrived regionally late final yr.
Ford Australia has beforehand stated it plans to introduce the facelifted F-150 earlier than the tip of 2024.
MORE: The whole lot Ford F-150MORE: 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning evaluate
