Sagging Demand for Electric F-150.
Once a must-have vehicle for both EV and truck enthusiasts, the Ford F-150 Lightning appears to have taken a downturn in terms of demand. According to Yahoo Finance, due to weak sales of its battery-powered F-150, the American carmaker is reducing the production shift responsible for manufacturing the electric truck.
The third-quarter figures from Ford demonstrate that the number of Lightnings shipped to their patrons has declined by 45.8%, with only 3,503 being delivered between the months of July and September. This is a noteworthy difference when compared to the amount circulated in this span in 2019, which was 6,464. Taking into account all sales throughout the year, we find the total as of now to be 12,260, a small fraction of the overall F-150 YTD figure of 573,370.
The car maker has proclaimed that the cause of their abrupt layoff is because of problems related to their supply line. Like General Motors and Stellantis, Ford is also contending with a labor stoppage by the United Automobile Workers which has persisted for some time.
In regards to the labor organization, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has revealed that a leaked UAW letter initially implied that Ford would cut down the production of the F-150 Lightning. The communique reportedly stated: “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that our sales for the Lightning have tanked.”
It is unfortunately true that the recent shift reduction will afflict approximately seven hundred employees.
Ford revealed to the Wall Street Journal that the fall in output levels is due to supply chain issues and additional quality verifications, both of which have put a damper on production. The automaker has also introduced heightened standards of quality control for their latest F-Series Super Duty truck line, making sure each one of these load haulers arrives at their new owners sans imperfections.
Last year, customer appetite for the Lightning was so massive that Ford was forced to up their manufacturing by twofold in order to fulfil consumers’ demands. Thus, how has the situation shifted so swiftly?
It is possible that there are various motivations behind this, such as costs. In 2021 when the F-150 Lightning was originally launched, buyers could obtain it for a cost lower than $40,000. Nevertheless, by March 2023, the MSRP of the base Pro version had swelled to over $60,000.
In July, Ford evidently declared that they would be trimming the cost of the Lightning, with models beginning at $49,995. Though this could be less pricey than before, it is yet unaffordable for numerous individuals in America. This occurrence may have been the earliest clue that sales were diminishing, and Ford’s claims concerning supply chain problems might be legit. The manufacturer has had troubles with inventory availability for a prolonged period.
Ford might be anxious about the potential impact Tesla’s newest Cybertruck could have upon the decisions of electric-pickup consumers, but it is an unlikely assumption. Tesla has a distinctive identity compared to that of Ford, and its customer base is quite disparate.
No matter the rationale, it is possible that customers might be granted some reduced charges in the not so distant future.
