Ford is halting production and shipments of the F-150 Lightning, its all-electric version of the best-selling pickup truck in the U.S., citing potential battery issues.
The stop shipment order and production halt were issued early the week of Feb. 6, Ford spokespeople said.
“There is a stop build and in-transit stop ship for F-150 Lightning,” Ford’s Emma Bergg told Teslarati. "As part of our pre-delivery quality inspections, a vehicle displayed a potential battery issue and we are holding vehicles while we investigate."
There is currently no stop-sale for vehicles already on Ford dealer lots, as available units can currently be sold to customers.
Ford announced Feb. 13 it is investing $3.5 billion in an EV battery production facility in Michigan, partnering with Chinese company CATL. The plant is expected to produce lithium iron phosphate cells, which are less expensive to produce but have less power and range than other cell chemistries.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said during the company’s most recent earnings call that the automaker left “about $2 billion on the table.” Farley went on to say that 2023 will be a “pivotal” year in the automaker’s transition to EVs, and while this is not necessarily a strong start, it is routine.
Automakers combat vehicle recalls and production issues, and it is simply part of the manufacturing process.
As EV makers continue to work toward producing EVs on a more massive scale, these production issues are sure to occur, but they can be fixed.
