Ford Increasing Lightning Production In Response To Strong Customer Demand

[Jim Lewis]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but If their supply chain has not been ramped up yet (since its been scheduled to be ready prior to a August ramp) then them improving assembly line rates would just be prematurely starving the supply chain in the interim.

OTH, if they haven't been manufacturing trucks for almost 5 1/2 weeks and the supply chain is under contract to supply so many parts per week, month, or whatever, Ford (or their suppliers) have accumulated a backlog of parts that they can use to ramp up their production while the supply chain potentially gears up to supply even more. Seems like a glass half full vs. half empty type of thing to debate. Any modern industry that operates like the Titanic and can't make turns and adjustments quickly is doomed to a fate like the Titanic's. Can that be Ford's fate?!

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[luebri]

OTH, if they haven't been manufacturing trucks for almost 5 1/2 weeks and the supply chain is under contract to supply so many parts per week, month, or whatever, Ford (or their suppliers) have accumulated a backlog of parts that they can use to ramp up their production while the supply chain potentially gears up to supply even more. Seems like a glass half full vs. half empty type of thing to debate. Any modern industry that operates like the Titanic and can't make turns and adjustments quickly is doomed to a fate like the Titanic's. Can that be Ford's fate?!

I know personally that Ford has made major ramp up capital expenditure "ramp up" tier 2 & 3 investments that are not yet "online" for the late 2023 ramp up. The supply chain doesnt work the way you guys think it does anymore... it is literally hand to mouth. No one delivers early and if they do it's pointless because a pear requirement for that sub assembly is multi weeks late.

 

[Ford Senior Master]

The good thing with increasing production is that dealer markups are beginning to disappear because of expensive Lariats sitting on lots. I know we have several without markups at our store. We have one with missing features for an 89K MSRP. It is a hard sale for an awesome truck vs the ICE offerings.
To really increase sales numbers versus production we need more Pro and XLT models to be built. 2022 pricing would really accelerate sales but that will not happen. Pricing will only get worse as the tax incentives eventually become point of sale rebates. To make matters worse there is no special financing rates available for the EV's. Who wants a ridiculous standard rate compared to the special rates being offered for ICE trucks where you can get as low as 0% for 36 and 3.9% for 60 months through Ford credit.

 

[chl]

FORD INCREASING PRODUCTION OF POPULAR ELECTRIC, GAS, HYBRID VEHICLES IN RESPONSE TO STRONG CUSTOMER DEMAND

However...Lightning deliveries have been halted indefinitely so they say...and probably a lot of batteries out there with bad cell just waiting to cause trouble.

"... Although Ford did not admit it at first, the fire started from the truck's battery, and reports indicated that it was a cell rather than a battery pack issue. This puts the blame on SK On as the cell supplier and further complicates things. There are probably tens of thousands of faulty battery cells already produced, and some of them have already been assembled into battery packs....

Ford doesn't appear to have a solution to the battery problem. Ford intends to produce the F-150 Lightning but keeps the trucks on hold as it works out a fix. ..."

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...-13-shipments-halted-indefinitely-211379.html

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