Slowing demand for Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck is delaying the start of full production at the company’s new West Tennessee factory and pushing vehicle deliveries to dealers until early 2026, according to the state senator representing the community home to the new facility.
State Sen. Page Walley, a Savannah Republican, told the Lookout his understanding is full production of the truck at the BlueOval City campus in Stanton, Tennessee, was pushed back earlier this year by nine months from its initially scheduled full production start date.
Based on what’s happening, with Ford’s read on the economy, the company might need a little longer runway before full production takes off, Walley said.
When Ford made the BlueOval City announcement in 2021, the Michigan automaker said it would start production in 2025. While hiring and work will begin next year, the first electric pickup trucks aren’t expected to be delivered to dealers until 2026, which the auto giant said is on track, creating a delay from midsummer of a matter of weeks.