Ford is halting F-150 Lightning production in mid-November as the once best-selling electric pickup faces a wave of new competition. The company will stop building models at its Rouge EV center in Michigan for nearly two months.
Ford will pause output at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center amid “slower-than-expected” demand for the all-electric pickup truck.
The pause comes after Ford cut its workforce at the plant by one-third earlier this year. No job cuts were included as workers were either reassigned or offered retirement.
Starting in April, 700 of the 2,100 workers were transferred to the Michigan Assembly plant, while another 700 were offered a retirement package or the opportunity to join the others to help build the Bronco and Ranger in MI.
Ford spokesperson Martin Gunsberg confirmed to Electrek earlier this year that the facility had been running three crews working two shifts, which dropped to one crew working one shift in April.
The Dearbon-based automaker is now preparing to pause output at the Rouge EV plant for several weeks.
Ford plans F-150 Lightning production halt in Michigan
Ford spokesperson Jessica Enoch said in an email to Electrek, “We continue to adjust production for an optimal mix of sales growth and profitability.”
The pause will begin after the work day on Nov 15. However, with the plant only running on weekdays, Nov 15-16 would not have been production days.
Enoch confirmed the first day down will be Nov 18, with production resuming on Jan 6, 2025. The pause includes the holiday break week, starting Dec 23, at all US Ford plants.
Ford’s latest hurdle comes after it was topped by crosstown rival GM in US electric vehicle sales last quarter.
With a record 32,095 EVs sold in Q3, GM surpassed Ford, which sold 23,509 electric models. GM is now ahead in the US through the first nine months with 70,450 EVs sold, compared to Ford at 67,689.
Ford’s electric pickup faces a new wave of competition, with Tesla’s Cybertruck, the Chevy Silverado EV, and the GMC Sierra EV rolling out.
According to Cox Automotive, Tesla’s Cybertruck was the third best-selling EV in the US in Q3, with 16,692 models sold. In comparison, Ford sold 7,162 F-150 Lightnings last quarter.
With the new lower-priced Chevy Silverado EV LT now available and GMC’s Sierra EV rolling out, it will be fun to see where the rankings end up next year.
Through its new “Power Promise,” Ford is giving EV buyers a free Level 2 home charger and covering the cost of standard installation. The company said the new program is designed to help show buyers the true benefits of driving an EV, like waking up with a full charge every morning.
Electrek’s Take
Although Ford topped Q3 revenue and EPS estimates earlier this week, the company’s Model e EV unit reported another $1.2 billion loss last quarter.
Ford’s EV business has now lost $3.7 billion through the first nine months of the year. The company said an 11% drop in volume was due to “competitive market dynamics.” The lower volume and “industry-wide pricing pressure” led to revenue slipping 33% YOY to $1.2 billion.
CEO Jim Farley said the company has taken “tough actions” to establish an advantage in upcoming areas, including next-gen EVs and software.
On the company’s earnings call, Farley said its new mid-size electric pickup, due out in the second half of 2027, will “match the cost structure of Chinese OEMS building in Mexico.” The comments were likely directed at BYD, which launched its first pickup truck, the Shark PHEV, which will rival Ford’s Ranger.
Ford will begin producing LFP batteries in Michigan in 2026, which should help the company cut costs.
According to Farley, Ford’s “skunkworks” team in California has “over-delivered” on the company’s new low-cost platform as it looks to regain leadership.
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Rivian will power its DC fast-charging network with renewable energy company RWE’s Champion Wind farm in Texas.
The two companies just signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for electricity from RWE’s repowered Champion Wind in Nolan and Mitchell counties, west of Abilene.
The 127-megawatt (MW) Champion Wind is getting new turbine nacelles and blades, which will extend the wind farm’s lifespan. Originally commissioned in 2008, the wind farm is expected to be fully upgraded by mid-2025. When the wind farm is back online, it’ll be capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 1 billion miles of renewable driving every year for Rivian, or the equivalent of powering 36,000 homes annually in Texas.
This wind power is set to support Rivian’s DC fast-charging Adventure Network with renewable energy. Rivian has set a specific goal to enable 7 billion miles of renewable driving.
Paul Frey, Rivian’s VP of propulsion, charging & adventure products, said, “Champion Wind is a powerful enabler for Rivian drivers to become active participants in building a cleaner grid every time they charge their vehicle. This project shows the potential to meaningfully decarbonize the grid and support a more circular economy through reuse and recovery of existing infrastructure, all while maintaining highly competitive economics.”
Siemens Gamesa is supplying 41 turbines with new nacelles and blades on existing towers. The nacelles and blades are being manufactured in the US. In addition, as part of the repowering project, six new Siemens Gamesa turbines rated at 3.1 MW each will also be added to the wind farm.
The decommissioned wind turbine blades from Champion will be repurposed. RWE is working with REGEN Fiber, an Iowa-based company that recycles wind turbine blades to make reinforcement fibers for the construction industry. Those fibers are then used in concrete to add strength and durability, extending the lifespan of infrastructure.
RWE is the third-largest renewable energy company in the US.
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Rivian is bringing back its “All-Electric upgrade offer” from now until November 30th, but with some changes to the program.
Earlier this year, Rivian offered $1k-$5k off a new Rivian if you trade in an old gas car, from April to June. The offer was available for specific vehicles, and with a sliding discount scale based on which Rivian vehicle you order.
Now the program has come back, but with quite a few changes from the previous version.
As of today, October 31, if you buy a new Rivian R1T or R1S new inventory vehicle from the R1 Shop, you can get a $3,000 discount if you also prove that you own or lease a qualifying gas-powered vehicle.
This is simultaneously simpler, more lenient, and more restrictive than the previous offer, in various ways.
First, the discount is a flat $3k (or $4,100 CAD), rather than having a scale based on what model you order, which is more streamlined.
Second, the discount applies to every gas or hybrid vehicle owner – you don’t have to trade in your vehicle, and you’re not limited to a specific list of vehicles. Just prove that you own or lease a gas car (copy of registration, proof of insurance, etc), and you get the discount.
However, third, it’s more restrictive as to what vehicles you can purchase. The current offer applies only to Rivian new inventory vehicles in the R1 Shop, and excludes demo vehicles, pre-owned vehicles, or custom build vehicles. It also does not apply to Rivian’s base Dual Standard models, but everything else is fair game.
In order to qualify, you need to place your order between today and November 30, and you must take delivery of the vehicle before December 31. Check out all the specifics of the offer on Rivian’s site here.
Electrek’s Take
Rivian is clearly trying to round out its yearly numbers with this offer, as the market for pricy cars is somewhat soft with increased interest rates. It just slightly lowered its annual delivery guidance, now planning to see roughly similar deliveries this year than last.
But its R1 vehicles just got a huge refresh to help the company with costs and to offer new features. The R1S is still one of the most popular high-priced vehicles in the US, and the company’s products earn universal acclaim from owners.
The interesting thing is that Rivian had a similar offer earlier this year, before the refresh, to help clear out inventory of older vehicles. It didn’t see it fit to offer the discount last quarter, perhaps buoyed by the updated model, but after a rough Q3 of deliveries it now brought the offer back.
Rivian is still guiding to reach a slight gross profit in Q4, though we’re sure we’ll hear more about that in its upcoming quarterly earnings next week.
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Hyundai’s new low-cost EV is getting a bold design upgrade. The Hyundai Casper EV Cross was spotted for the first time in public, revealing new design elements.
Although we knew a rugged “Cross” variant was headed to Europe, this was the first time the domestic model was spotted with an upgraded design.
The Inster EV is Hyundai’s overseas version of its domestic Casper Electric model. In Korea, Hyundai’s Casper EV starts at around $20,000 (27.4 million won). Hyundai said its new EV can be bought for under $8,000 (10 million won) with subsidies.
In Europe, it starts at under $27,000 (25,000 euros). The Cross variant is built for “those looking for an EV with a more adventurous look,” Hyundai said.
Although it offers the same versatility as the standard model, the Inster EV Cross gains rugged design elements, including new front and rear bumpers, black claddings, skid plates, a roof rack, and more.
Here’s our first look at the Hyundai Casper EV Cross
After a rugged new variant with the Casper EV logo was spotted in Korea for the first time, a Cross model is expected to debut shortly.
The new video from HealerTV reveals added design elements, including the roof rack and more aggressive black trim.
The reporter notes that the Hyundai Casper EV Cross has a “much more mechanical and futuristic feel than the existing model.”
It almost appears “robot-like” with an added off-road feel. The Inster EV Cross gets up to 223 mi (360 km) WLTP driving range. In Korea, the Casper Electric is rated with up to 195 miles (315 km) driving range.
Although Hyundai Casper (Inster) EV is not expected to launch in the US, the low-cost model was spotted driving in California for the first time this month.
In the meantime, off-road fans can get in line for Hyundai’s upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which will be available with a rugged XRT trim. The 2025 IONIQ 5 XRT model was also recently caught testing ahead of deliveries.
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