Ford Motor Company has resumed production of the F-150 Lightning following a six-week shutdown to expand and retool the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center plant to triple the manufacturing capacity of the award-winning electric truck.
With the expansion, Ford will have the ability to produce the F-150 Lightning at an annualized rate of 150,000 units by this fall.
While the temporary shutdown of the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center limited customer deliveries this summer, the facility is now ready to accelerate the ramp-up process to unlock supply and help meet the demand for the truck. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is scheduled to build more than 70,000 F-150 Lightning trucks in calendar year 2023 with production for U.S. customers expected to ramp in the fall.
The capacity increase at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center supports shorter order-to-delivery times for customers with a focus on building high-demand trim levels like XLT, which accounts for over 50% of new orders. Lightning Pro units are now available for retail customers in limited quantities, with these units allocated for loyal reservation holders who have been waiting to order since launch.
Recently adjusted pricing, while still above launch pricing, has helped to drive a threefold increase in web traffic and a sixfold increase in customer orders as Lightning becomes more accessible to a broader segment of shoppers. The increased capacity also opens up the opportunity to broaden the number of trim levels offered across the lineup, addressing customer wants since reveal.