The automaker, Ford, has announced that the retirement program it recently offered will impact a few dozen workers at component factories that currently support F-150 Lightning production. The number of affected workers will largely depend on how many employees apply for the retirement program. If there are affected workers, Ford plans to place them in Southeast Michigan facilities. On the other hand, Ford will be hiring 900 net new hires at the Michigan Assembly Plant to boost production. This will involve adding a third shift of up to 1,600 workers, allowing for production to continue seven days a week instead of the current five-day schedule.
Despite the retirement program and the hiring plans, Ford is anticipating continued growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales this year. However, the growth is expected to be slightly lower than previously anticipated. Ford is preparing to launch its next generation of EVs and aims to find the right balance of powertrain configurations to meet consumer demand. Jim Farley, Ford CEO and President, stated that they are focused on providing customers with choices while considering growth and profitability. He also highlighted the popularity of the F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling EV pickup, and expressed optimism for the future of electric vehicles, especially with the upcoming digitally advanced EVs and access to Tesla’s charging network.
As of now, Ford has not responded to a request for comment from *Teslarati* regarding when they expect F-150 Lightning production to resume at current levels.
Overall, it appears that Ford is making strategic moves to address workforce changes and increase production capacity in response to consumer demand for EVs.