FORD

Company to resume F-150 Lightning manufacturing on March 13

Ford will resume production on its F-150 Lightning electric truck on March 13 after a battery fire in early February suspended operations, the company said Thursday.

Ford halted production soon after the February 4 fire, which involved a pickup truck that was undergoing standard inspection.

A Ford spokeswoman said there was no timetable to resume deliveries of the trucks to dealerships or consumers.

As the electric version of the F-150, the best-selling auto in the United States for four decades, the Lightning has been closely watched as a key benchmark for EV penetration into the US transportation system.

The company has not publicly provided a detailed explanation of the problem with the battery.

The US auto giant will restart production at its Dearborn, Michigan factory following the installation of battery cells from supplier SK America, said Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg.

"In the weeks ahead, we will continue to apply our learnings and work with SK On's team to ensure we continue delivering high-quality battery packs—down to the battery cells," Bergg said in an email.

As the Michigan factory "ramps up production, we will continue holding already-produced vehicles while we work through engineering and parts updates," she said.

The Lightning is built at the Rouge Electric Center, which is located at Ford's Dearborn, Michigan complex, which has been repeatedly updated since it was first built between 1917 and 1928.

© 2023 AFP