Ford's F-150 Lightning Production Restart Boosts Demand and Shortens Wait Times

Ford has restarted production of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup after a six-week break for upgrades. The company reported a sixfold increase in new orders for the Lightning following recent price cuts, with "about 45 days' worth" of orders currently in the pipeline. The higher-priced XLT trim is particularly popular among customers. While deliveries will be modest until September due to recent production downtime, Ford expects sales to significantly increase later in September and October as supply ramps up. The factory in Dearborn, Michigan, has hired 1,200 new employees to support the increased production, and the annual output is expected to triple by the end of September.