Ford’s F-150 Lightning Michigan EV plant is dropping a shift

Ford’s Lightning manufacturing woes might have hit one other hurdle. The automaker revealed plans Friday to briefly trim one in every of three shifts at its Rouge EV plant in Michigan, the place the F-150 Lightning is constructed.

Ford stated the transfer would happen on Monday, affecting round 700 jobs. The American automaker claimed the cuts have been unrelated to the UAW strike.

The transfer comes two days after United Auto Employees (UAW) union employees walked off the job at its largest plant in Kentucky in a strike amid contract bargaining.

In accordance with a brand new report from Reuters, Ford stated a number of constraints, together with provide chain points, have been behind the cuts. It didn’t say how lengthy the manufacturing lower will final however famous it’ll rotate the shift being trimmed.

Ford claimed to be “working by processing and delivering automobiles held for high quality checks after restarting manufacturing in August.”

The Wall Avenue Journal reported earlier on Friday {that a} UAW official stated Ford was contemplating slicing a shift at its Lightning plant as a consequence of lagging demand.

The union chief wrote in a memo earlier this week, “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that our gross sales for the Lightning have tanked.”

Ford manufacturing woes worsen at Lightning EV plant

Ford’s job cuts come after F-150 Lightning gross sales fell 46% within the third quarter in comparison with final 12 months. The automaker offered 3,503 electrical vehicles in comparison with 6,464 in the identical interval final 12 months and 4,466 in Q2.

Ford informed Electrek in September that “F-150 Lightning manufacturing is beginning to ramp after a six-week shutdown to increase the Rouge Electrical Car Middle with restricted deliveries throughout July and August.”

The automaker added a 3rd shift final December because it labored to hit its goal of constructing 150,000 electrical vehicles.

Ford’s CEO Jim Farley stated in July, “The near-term tempo of EV adoption might be somewhat slower than anticipated,” pushing again its 600,000 EV manufacturing aim till subsequent 12 months.

Earlier this week, Ford launched a brand new incentive with as much as $7,500 in financial savings for purchasing or leasing a Lightning mannequin (it will also be mixed with the EV tax credit score for as much as $15,000 off).

Ford additionally added a brand new “Flash” trim for the 2024 lineup that pulls options from the XLT and Lariat fashions into one. The F-150 Lightning Flash options as much as 320 miles of vary, a tech-focused inside, and a warmth pump, beginning at $70,000.