Ford is forced to halt F-150 Lightning production again for six weeks as the automaker struggles with slumping demand for the pickup amid a broader decrease in demand for EVs.
Ford revealed that it’s once again stopping production of the F-150 Lightning due to slumping sales.
The Ford F-150 Lightning was the flagship for Ford’s electrification efforts with the advanced pickup being the first all-electric full-size pickup that it ever produced. A strong pool of early adopters helped the Lightning get a good start on sales at launch with the pickup even showing off its abilities as a mobile power source when severe ice storms struck parts of Texas.
However, the truck has since struggled to replicate this strong surge in sales with demand for the truck rapidly receding. Ford responded by doing a prior production halt to the truck but the problems have continued. These lingering issues have forced the company to once again halt production of the truck for six weeks as it attempts to right the Lightning’s sinking ship.
Production halt is the second for the Lightning this year
This latest halt is the second production-related stoppage for the Lightning this year.
Ford revealed it decided to halt the EV’s production for six weeks starting in November with the company saying that it already informed suppliers of its decision to halt production and released a brief statement saying “We continue to adjust production for an optimal mix of sales growth and profitability.” This is the second time that Ford has been forced to halt production of the truck due to lower-than-expected sales with the company doing a prior stop at the beginning of the year while also cutting two-thirds of the production staff at the Rogue Electric Vehicle Center. This would coincide with a later stop-ship order that occurred when a technical issue was discovered with some of the Lightnings that were produced.
The Lightning’s struggles are also reflective of the bigger problems that Ford’s electric vehicle business has seen recently with demand for the Ford Mustang Mach-E also sliding downward which prompted the company to announce several price cuts for the model including a recent string of pricing revisions for its 2025 updates.
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Lightning sales are increasing
Despite the slumping demand, the Lightning actually managed to increase its sales through the month of September.
Despite the challenges that the Lightning is facing, the truck has actually managed to increase its sales this year with its numbers going up by 86% during the month of September. That wasn’t enough to stop the Tesla Cybertruck from overtaking it to become the top-selling model in the EV truck segment and the Ford is also facing a growing threat from newer offerings that offer better range and technology.
Ford’s struggles in the electric vehicle wars have forced it to pivot and alter some aspects of its electrification plans with the company putting a stronger emphasis on hybrid and plug-in hybrid models with EV output slowing to compensate for changing market conditions. That included the delay of its next electric truck model and other changes to future products.
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