https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-f-150-lightning-plant-cuts-workforce-amid-weak-demand/

After debuting to much fanfare and tremendous demand that far outweighed supply for some time, the Ford F-150 Lightning has cooled considerably as of late, right alongside EV demand in general. As such, The Blue Oval announced that it would be scaling back its planned production output of the EV pickup in 2024, though as Ford Authority recently reported, existing Ford F-150 Lightning inventory remains quite high as well. Now, as the automaker shifts its focus to smaller, cheaper EVs – even pushing back some planned models, like the Ford Explorer EV for North America – it has also slashed its workforce at the Rogue Electric Vehicle Center as well, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Ford spokeswoman Jessica Enoch told the Detroit Free Press that FoMoCo is cutting its staff at the Rogue Electric Vehicle Center – which currently employs 2,100 workers – by around two-thirds starting next week. The automaker plans to shed 1,400 of those workers in various ways, with around 700 heading to the Michigan Assembly Plant and the other 700 being given the option of accepting a reassignment somewhere in Southeast Michigan or taking the $50,000 retirement package that's part of the automaker's recent deal with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.

Ford also plans to add a third shift at MAP – which builds the Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger – to accommodate these additional jobs. Ultimately, Enoch noted that Ford doesn't anticipate having to cut any jobs as a result of this move, which is being made to accommodate the aforementioned Ford F-150 Lightning production cuts announced back in January.

This is a stark contrast to just one year ago, when Ford was hiring workers in an effort to boost F-150 Lightning production to meet demand, but the market has shifted dramatically since then. Additionally, as Ford Authority recently reported, 2024 model year EV pickups have been held due to quality reviews since early February, though they're expected to be shipped to dealers in April.

We'll have more on the F-150 Lightning soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, F-150 Lightning news, and non-stop Ford news coverage.