FOX Business Jeff Flock reports from Celebrity Ford of Toms River dealership where electric F-150s aren't pulling out of the lot fast enough.
Ford Motor Company said Friday that it has halted deliveries of all 2024 model year F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks so the company can conduct quality testing for an unspecified issue.
The Detroit automaker said the pause in deliveries began on Feb. 9, but did not say when it expects to resume deliveries of the electric truck that began in January.
A Ford spokesman declined to specify which quality issue is under review while the ship stoppage order is in effect, Portal reported. Ford did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
Last month, Ford announced that production levels for the F-150 Lightning would be reduced by about half to about 1,600 per week from the previously planned production rate of 3,200 per week due to weak demand for electric vehicles in the U.S. auto market.
Ford's profits are being gobbled up by EVS
Ford has paused deliveries of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck to conduct quality checks over an unspecified issue. (Photographer: Nic Antaya/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The company will also reduce the number of shifts to one shift starting April 1 at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, where it makes the electric pickups. The move will affect about 1,400 workers, including 700 who will move to the company's assembly plant in Michigan.
| ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | FORD MOTOR CO. | 12.14 | +0.02 | +0.17% |
Some will be deployed in roles at the Rouge complex or other Ford facilities in southeast Michigan, while others “may take advantage of the special retirement incentive program agreed upon in the 2023 Ford-UAW contract.”
Ford began production of the F-150 Lightning in April 2022, and the company announced last month that it sold more than 24,100 Lightning electric trucks in the U.S. in 2023. This represents an increase of almost 55% compared to the 15,600 last year.
FORD CELEBRATES HISTORIC MILESTONE FOR F-SERIES TRUCKS
Ford previously announced it would cut production of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck by about half this year. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The automaker's delivery pause for new F-150 Lightning electric vehicles begins with the delivery of the first newly developed gas-powered F-150 pickups for the 2024 model year to dealers.
Ford said it expects to “increase deliveries in the coming weeks as we conduct thorough launch quality testing to ensure these new F-150s meet our high standards.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO by CLICKING HERE
The company had previously indicated that the gas-powered F-150s would be delivered in early 2024, and said Friday that this was “on track.”
FOX Business's Aislinn Murphy and Portal contributed to this report.