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Updated Feb. 16, 2023: Reuters reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is now in talks with Ford over the company’s halting of the production of the F150 Lightning electric pickup and the reason for the assembly line shutdown was a fire involving one EV truck during a pre-delivery inspection in a holding lot that spread to a nearby truck.
DEARBORN, MI – Citing a possible battery issue, Ford said Tuesday that it has paused production and shipment of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup model. In making the announcement, the company was unable to say when production and shipment will resume. A stop-sale order has not been issued for models already on dealer lots.
Details of the potential battery issue were not disclosed. Production was halted early last week and an investigation was launched after a vehicle displayed a possible problem during a pre-delivery quality inspection. “Motor Authority” was first report the shutdown.
“The team is diligently working on the root cause analysis,” said Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg, adding the company is “doing the right thing by our customers” to resolve any potential issues before resuming production and shipments.
Berg said Ford is unaware of any incidents or issues involved with batteries in F-150 Lightning models.
In an unrelated announcement Tuesday, Ford said it’s investing $3.5 billion to build an LFP battery plant in Marshall, MI. The new plant will employ 2,500 people with production slated to begin in 2026.
Also Tuesday, the research company Strategic Vision released results of a study that showed the Rivian R1T to be the most loved pickup – electric or gas-powered – in the United States. The study examined 118 features and attributes.
“The R1T generated more love with truck owners, including very competitive Ford models, often where it counts,” said Strategic Vision president Alexander Edwards.
“For example, owners rated the R1T better than the F-150 and F-150 Lighting in Towing Capacity. The R1T also generated more love in all Ford truck models, including the F-250, in other important attributes such as Acceleration from Stop, Passing Capability, Off-Road Capability, Ground Clearance, Level of Standard Equipment, and Quality of Interior Materials.”
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