Ford Cuts F-150 Lightning Production and 1,400 Jobs

Reacting to lighter-than-expected sales, Ford cut production of the F-150 Lightning EV pickup truck. The company plans to reduce shifts at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center starting April 1. 

It isn’t an all-out job loss of 1,400 workers at the plant, however. 700 workers will move to Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant. Some will be placed in roles at the Rouge complex or other Ford facilities in southeast Michigan, while others “take advantage of the Special Retirement Incentive Program agreed to in the 2023 Ford-UAW contract,” Ford said.

Ford’s statement is that it is “moving nimbly across its global footprint to capitalize on its balanced lineup and serve customers with the right mix of gas-powered, hybrid and electric vehicles, while optimizing financial returns.”

Ford also announced it would start using a 1,600-person third crew to meet the demands for Bronco and Bronco Raptor SUV and Ranger and Ranger Raptor pickup production at the Michigan Assembly Plant. 900 of the workers will be new hires, while 700 others will be transferred from the Rouge Complex.

“We are taking advantage of our manufacturing flexibility to offer customers choices while balancing our growth and profitability,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley. “We see a bright future for electric vehicles for specific consumers, especially with our upcoming digitally advanced EVs and access to Tesla’s charging network beginning this quarter.”