Ford Motor Co. has halted shipments of its F-150 Lightning plug-in pickup for an undisclosed quality issue just weeks after cutting production of the battery-powered model due to slowing sales.
The automaker said in a statement late Friday it stopped shipping the Lightning on Feb. 9 “to ensure quality.” It did not say when it expects to resume delivering the Lightning to dealers, but noted it has started shipping traditional gas-powered versions of the truck, which was redesigned for the 2024 model year.
“We expect to ramp up shipments in the coming weeks as we complete thorough launch quality checks to ensure these new F-150s meet our high standards,” the company said.
Ford is recalibrating its electric vehicle strategy with EV sales slowing sharply as mainstream consumers balk at high prices and spotty charging infrastructure. The automaker has also cut production and prices of its battery-powered Mustang Mach-E, while it pivots to boost output of gas-electric hybrid models.
Automotive News earlier reported the stop-shipment order on the F-150 Lightning.