Ford assembly lines rolling for F-150 Lightning pickup trucks

Ford assembly lines rolling for F-150 Lightning pickup trucks

Ford has begun building F-150 Lightning pickup trucks at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center within Ford’s Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ford says it has 200,000 reservations for the F-150 Lightning and is expanding the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center to ramp up production to a planned annual run rate of 150,000 in 2023. The company has invested a total of $950 million and created 750 jobs at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. Ford’s investment in Michigan for F-150 Lightning alone now totals more than $1 billion, with 1,700 recently created jobs spread among five Ford plants in the state, including Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center, where Lightning electric motors and electric transaxles are assembled, and Rawsonville Components Plant, where Lightning batteries are assembled.

Ford says it is on track to deliver more than 2 million electric vehicles annually by 2026, equal to about one-third of the company’s global volume, on the way to 50% by 2030.

Ford announced its intention to build the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center at its historic Rouge complex 19 months ago, in September 2020. The company says it is the first Ford plant without traditional in-floor conveyor lines. It instead uses robotic Autonomous Guided Vehicles to move F-150 Lightning trucks from workstation to station in the plant.

These Autonomous Guided Vehicles create more flexibility in the plant for additional production output, quality checks and product customizations, among other benefits, Ford says. And, changes can be made quickly without the constraints of a typical line that requires the installation of floor chains, moving mats, conveyors and overhead cranes. The plant also uses cobots, or collaborative robots, that work side-by-side with people without any safety cages needed. These cobots help with tasks that would be ergonomically challenging for employees, while also keeping employees safe, Ford says.

The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is a zero-waste-to-landfill site, meaning none of the material generated as a by-product of the manufacturing process will go to landfills. The plant was built on the former Dearborn Assembly Plant site, using materials from the prior plant in the foundation.

Ford says it is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and to using 100% local, renewable electricity in all of its manufacturing operations by 2035.

Ford says its F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for 45 years in a row and is second only to the iPhone in revenue among all American consumer products, according to a 2020 study.

You May Also Like

2024 Polestar 2 boasts more power, range

Next-generation electric motors and inverters have been fitted to provide more horsepower and torque.

2024-Polestar-2-1400

Polestar has given the Polestar 2 a major update for the 2024 model year. The EV will feature a new high-tech front end that reflects the design language premiered by Polestar 3 featuring the SmartZone, which hosts active safety features like the front-facing camera and mid-range radar. The 2024 model also includes substantial performance increases with all-new electric motors, a more powerful battery, sustainability improvements and, for the first time in a Polestar, rear-wheel drive.

Tips for diving into EV repair

Delve into the details of one shop owner’s journey diving into EV collision repair work.

EV-REPAIR-tesla-1400
Yadea launches three new eBike models in the U.S.

Yadea debuted three new e-bike models to the U.S. market at this year’s CES in Las Vegas – Innovator, URider S and Trooper 01.

Yadea-e-bike-Trooper-1400
Goodyear debuts commercial EV tire for regional fleets

Goodyear said the RangeMax RSD EV is equipped to handle the higher load capacities of EVs.

Goodyear-EV-1400
Ford to double, triple production of some EVs

Ford plans to produce additional Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, Maverick and E-Transit vehicles to meet customer demand.

Ford-Lightning-F150-Mustang-Boost-EV-Production-1400

Other Posts

Stellantis to make $155M EV investment in three Indiana plants

Optimized electric drive modules will help platforms achieve driving range up to 500 miles, Stellantis says.

Stellantis-Electrification-EV-1400
Ford wins USPS contract for 9,250 left-hand drive EVs

The USPS also awarded three suppliers contracts to purchase more than 14,000 EV charging stations.

USPS-EVs-1400
U.S. feds announce new EV charging network standards

The new standards will ensure everyone can use the network, no matter what car you drive or which state you charge in.

Federal-EV-Charging-Standards-1400
The Future of Motorcycling: ICE vs. EV

Does it really have to be a battle between these two bike powertrains?

ICE-vs-EVmotorcycles-1400