Ford announces F-150 production restart
Automaker will build over 70K electric pickups at facility in 2023
Ford CEO Jim Farley weighs in on the electric vs. gas vehicle debate
Ford CEO Jim Farley joined 'Barron's Roundtable' to discuss the debate on electric vs. gas cars, the auto company's growth and approach to the auto industry, and reacts to Warren Buffett's comments on investing in the industry.
Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is up and running after a six-week break in production to expand and retool the plant to triple manufacturing capacity of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck.
Beginning this fall, the Dearborn, Michigan, facility will have the ability to produce 150,000 electric pickups every year.
NO RESERVATIONS: FORD IS CHARGING UP ELECTRIC F-150 LIGHTNING PRODUCTION
The Ford facility is already scheduled to build more than 70,000 F-150 Lightning trucks this year.
With the upgrades to the plant, the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center now utilizes equipment to automatically measure and validate exterior body fit for margin and flushness precision, marking the first time these tools have been deployed in Ford’s North American plants.
Workers put engines on the frame as Ford Motor Co. fuel powered F-150 trucks under production at their Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, on Sept. 20, 2022. (JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Meanwhile, a third station was added to validate wheel alignment and headlamp aim for driver assist technology, Ford said.
"We are all looking forward to getting these F-150 Lightning trucks into the hands of our customers – from the U.S. to Norway," said Debbie Manzano, Ford's director of manufacturing said.
The Home Integration System, which consists of an inverter, transfer switch and battery, is available through Sunrun for $3,895, with installation costs dependent on your personal home setup. The device works in tandem with the automaker's 80-amp Cha (Ford)
Training for an additional 1,200 manufacturing employees will continue for three weeks, with incoming operators shadowing experienced employees in a "buddy system" designed for rapid onboarding, Ford said.
Last week, Ford recalled over 870,000 F-150 trucks in U.S. for a wiring-related problem with their electric parking brakes
Ford Motor Company's electric F-150 Lightning on the production line at their Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, on Sept. 8, 2022. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Ford began cutting prices on the F-150 Lightning in July due to increased plant capacity and the falling costs of raw materials for batteries.
FORD EXTENDS F-150 PRODUCTION HALT
Shares of the auto giant are up on Tuesday and have climbed 13.9% year to date.
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