Electric Ford F-150 Lightning production increased with third shift
Ford aiming for annual output of 150,000
Ford F-150 Lightning first drive: A powerhouse pick-up
FoxNews.com automotive editor Gary Gastelu discusses Ford’s new electric pick-up F-150 Lightning.
Ford is turning up the juice at its electric truck factory.
The automaker announced on Tuesday that it has added a third shift to the production line for the F-150 Lightning pickup.
Final assembly for the truck is handled at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan, which is adjacent to the main factory where conventional F-150s are built.
Approximately 250 staff are being added to the F-150 Lightning line.
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![ford lightning factory](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2022/12/931/523/lighting-factory.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
The F-150 Lightning is built at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. (Ford)
The full-size pickup shares many of its body parts and other components with the rest of the F-150 lineup to help reduce manufacturing costs and make it easier for customers to use the same accessories across the different trucks.
![lightning sled](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2022/01/931/523/rouge-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Automated sleds move the trucks from station to station in the factory. (Ford / Fox News)
Ford delivered 13,258 F-150 Lightnings to customers through November as production was ramped up.
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The automaker has previously said it plans to be producing the vehicle at a rate of 150,000 units annually at the facility by the end of 2023.
![2022 Ford F-150 Lightning](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2022/06/931/523/2022-F-150-Lightning.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Ford delivered 13,258 F-150 Lightnings through November. (Youngrae Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Ford is building a dedicated electric truck plant in Kentucky called Blue Oval City that is scheduled to open in 2025 with a next-generation truck model.
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The F-150 Lightning has a starting price of $53,769 for an entry-level Pro work truck and tops out at $96,874 for a luxury Platinum model.