Ford has issued a nationwide “stop shipment” order to all its carriers, instructing them to hold F-150 Lightnings while a potential battery issue is investigated. This applies to cars in transit but not on dealer lots, and Ford has paused production while the issue is investigated.
The stop shipment order was issued earlier this week, and Ford has identified what they believe to be the cause of the issue. They expect to have production started in “a few weeks” and do not think already-delivered customer vehicles are affected.
F-150 Lightnings are scarce at dealers currently, despite price increases, as Ford continues to fulfill its massive order list. Many customers are waiting for vehicles to be delivered, rather than being able to walk in and grab one off the dealer lot. Most Lightnings which make their way to dealers are already reserved and will only be released to the public if the order holder decides not to go through with the purchase for some reason.
Ford has stated that the potential quality issue is related to the battery, and they are conducting a root cause analysis. They are not aware of any incidences of this issue in the field, and there is no stop sale.
Ford has not had further information about how many vehicles may be affected or how long this pause is expected to last, but they have identified the root cause of the problem and expect to conclude their investigation and apply what they learn to the truck’s battery production process within a few weeks. They will continue holding already-produced vehicles while they work through engineering and process updates.
Ford has also stated that they do not believe any customer Lightnings are affected by this issue, and that they do not think this will result in a recall. The F-150 Lightning’s battery is supplied by SK On, a spinoff of Korean firm SK Innovation, and there have been no other major battery issues from SK-supplied batteries before.
Ford is exercising an abundance of caution with this issue, given media overreactions to anything that has to do with EVs. They are going big on electric vehicles, so it makes sense that they would take extra precautions. For current Lightning shoppers, this may not make much difference as F-150 Lightnings are already scarce at dealers.
FAQ
Q1: Are electric car batteries recyclable?
A1: Yes, electric car batteries can be recycled.
Q2: Are electric car chargers free?
A2: It depends on the charger and the location. Some public charging stations may be free, while others may require a fee.
Q3: Are electric car batteries dangerous?
A3: Electric car batteries can be dangerous if not handled properly. They contain hazardous materials and should be handled with care.
