Since April 2022, production of the F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup truck has faced challenges with low demand. Ford has responded by downsizing the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center workforce from three work crews totaling 2,100 hourly workers to a single crew.
Ford’s spokeswoman Jessica Enoch revealed that 700 employees would be given the option of reassignment or a $50,000 retirement package. Another 700 workers will transition to the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne to assemble trucks and 4x4s. Ford did not disclose production volume targets for 2024 to the Detroit Free Press.
The third crew at the Michigan Assembly Plant aims to bolster production of Broncos and Rangers, despite subdued demand for the latter in 2023. Bronco sales in 2023 totaled 105,665 units, marking a 9.7 percent decline compared to 2022’s 117,057 units.
In 2023, Ford sold 24,165 units of the F-150 Lightning in the United States, contributing to the F-Series’ delivery count of 750,789 for the year. The adjustment at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, which currently exclusively produces the F-150 Lightning, will take effect on April 1. The subdued demand for an expensive pickup truck, starting at $49,995 for the work-oriented Pro trim level, with an EPA-estimated range of up to 320 miles (516 kilometers), is unsurprising.
Comparatively, the slightly smaller Rivian R1T offers up to 410 miles (660 kilometers) with the largest battery option, priced $19,100 higher than the base R1T Dual Motor’s $69,900. The Chevrolet Silverado EV 4WT, another work truck, boasts an EPA-estimated range of 450 miles (724 kilometers) but carries a hefty price tag of $77,905 plus a $1,895 destination charge. These high prices indicate that zero-emission pickup trucks currently do not pose a threat to conventional counterparts.
Conversely, Tesla emerged as the biggest winner in the electric vehicle market in 2023. The immensely popular Model Y surpassed the RAV4 as the world’s best-selling vehicle, with JATO Dynamics estimating 1.23 million deliveries compared to Toyota’s 1.07 million. In the United States, the Model Y sold approximately 400,000 units in 2023, trailing the RAV4’s 434,943 deliveries. Other notable contenders include the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
