Ford is facing a critical juncture that is testing its electrification strategy. What seemed like a firm step toward the future has become a forced pause. A fire at the Novelis plant, its main aluminum supplier, disrupted production and forced the company to take a drastic measure: indefinitely halting production of the F-150 Lightning, its flagship electric pickup.

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The incident generated an estimated financial impact of up to $1 billion, a figure that Ford cannot ignore in a context where profitability is key to sustaining its transformation towards electric mobility.

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Faced with the aluminum shortage and the pressure to maintain the stability of its business, the brand opted to strengthen its historical pillar: the F-Series with combustion engines and hybrids.

Profitability rules: the power of the F-Series

Although the pause in the Lightning represents a symbolic blow to the Ford's electric vehicle strategy: from the company's top management, the decision is clear. The goal is to redirect resources toward models that ensure immediate revenue and a steady flow of production. According to the brand itself, combustion trucks are "more profitable for Ford and use less aluminum," an argument that gains strength when the supply of materials is uncertain. Consequently, Ford will concentrate its efforts on the F-150 and F-Series Super Duty models, absolute sales leaders and true financial pillars of the company. To achieve this, it will implement a significant expansion of production capacity at its most important plants. In Dearborn, for example, a third work shift will be added, allowing for the production of more than 45,000 additional F-150 units throughout 2025. This effort will also create approximately 1,000 new jobs, an unusual move at a time when many automakers are reducing staff in their electric vehicle divisions.

Million-dollar investments and boosted production

Ford's production offensive doesn't stop there. At its Kentucky plant, the company will invest $60 million to streamline the assembly line and add more than 5,000 additional F-Series Super Duty units. With these measures, the brand expects to increase its total production by more than 50,000 pickups, a figure that seeks to compensate for the Lightning's production halt and maintain its dominance in the US pickup truck market.

This pragmatic approach demonstrates that Ford is willing to adapt quickly when the environment demands it. In times of supply chain uncertainty, maintaining profitability and responsiveness is essential to sustaining global operations.

However, the shift towards combustion engines also sends a clear message: the road to full electrification will be longer and more challenging than anticipated.

For now, the traditional business remains the company's source of stability.

Employment consequences and a clear message

The suspension of the F-150 Lightning will also directly affect workers at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, where the electric pickup was assembled. Instead of layoffs, Ford decided to transfer hourly employees to the Dearborn plant, where they will join the new production shift for gasoline and hybrid F-Series vehicles.

The measure aims to maintain jobs while production is reorganized and the company ensures a response to American consumer demand.

Despite the electric pause, Ford makes it clear that its commitment to innovation continues, albeit now under a more balanced strategy between the new and the traditional. Ford COO Kumar Galhotra summed it up with a phrase that reflects the brand's spirit: “The people who keep America running depend on America's most popular vehicle, the F-Series truck, and we are mobilizing our team to meet that demand.”Maintaining profitability and responsiveness is essential to sustaining global operations.

However, the shift towards combustion engines also sends a clear message: the path to full electrification will be longer and more challenging than anticipated. For now, the traditional business remains the company's source of stability.

Employment Consequences and a Clear Message

The suspension of the F-150 Lightning will also directly affect workers at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, where the electric pickup was assembled. Instead of layoffs, Ford decided to transfer hourly employees to the Dearborn plant, where they will join the new production shift for gasoline and hybrid F-Series vehicles.

This measure aims to preserve jobs while production is reorganized and the company ensures a response to American consumer demand.

Despite the electric pause, Ford makes it clear that its commitment to innovation continues, albeit now under a more balanced strategy between the new and the traditional. Ford COO Kumar Galhotra summed it up with a phrase that reflects the brand's spirit: “The people who keep America running depend on America's most popular vehicle, the F-Series truck, and we are mobilizing our team to meet that demand.”Maintaining profitability and responsiveness is essential to sustaining global operations.

However, the shift towards combustion engines also sends a clear message: the path to full electrification will be longer and more challenging than anticipated. For now, the traditional business remains the company's source of stability.

Employment Consequences and a Clear Message

The suspension of the F-150 Lightning will also directly affect workers at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, where the electric pickup was assembled. Instead of layoffs, Ford decided to transfer hourly employees to the Dearborn plant, where they will join the new production shift for gasoline and hybrid F-Series vehicles.

This measure aims to preserve jobs while production is reorganized and the company ensures a response to American consumer demand.

Despite the electric pause, Ford makes it clear that its commitment to innovation continues, albeit now under a more balanced strategy between the new and the traditional. Ford COO Kumar Galhotra summed it up with a phrase that reflects the brand's spirit: “The people who keep America running depend on America's most popular vehicle, the F-Series truck, and we are mobilizing our team to meet that demand.”

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