Ford Is Pausing Production Of Its F-150 Lightning Due To Failing Demand

Ford Motor is pausing production of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck for several weeks. The outlook for electric vehicles remains bleak, and automakers face falling demand.

Due to waning consumer interest, the Dearborn-based automaker said it will idle the plant from mid-November through Jan. 6. “We continue to adjust production for the optimal combination of sales growth and profitability,” said Ford.

The hiatus comes less than a year after Ford announced it was permanently ending production shifts at the suburban Detroit plant where it makes the electric pickup truck. The move was announced days ahead of the US presidential election, where government support for electric vehicles has been hotly debated.

Automakers have scrambled over the past year to adjust plans for their EV models after admitting lower-than-expected demand from car buyers. Ford said in August it was abandoning plans for a new electric SUV with three rows of seats, citing price pressure for battery-powered cars.

Automakers have poured billions of dollars into developing and producing more electric vehicles, even as their new models generate heavy losses.

• Also See: Ford’s Boss Wants Internal Combustion Engines Back After More Than €2 Billion In EV Investment