Ford has extended the production halt of its all-electric Ford Lightning pickup truck for another week.
Ford initially suspended production and shipments of the Ford Lightning in the second week of February due to possible battery issues. Ford and its battery cell manufacturing partner SK have identified the problem, the automaker told TechCrunch.
In a statement, Ford said it agreed with SK’s recommended changes to its cell production line equipment and processes.
“SK has resumed manufacturing battery cells in Commerce, Georgia,” Ford said in a statement emailed to TechCrunch. “It will take time for SK to get back to building quality cells and getting them to the Lightning production line. “
The company confirmed that during Lightning’s standard pre-shipment quality checks, one vehicle exhibited a battery issue and caught fire on February 4.
“We have no reason to believe that F-150 Lightnings already in customer hands are affected by this issue,” a company spokesperson said in an email.
The Ford Lightning was launched less than a year ago and has attracted attention from shareholders and industry analysts. Ford CEO Jim Farley has admitted the company is struggling to keep costs down due to inefficiencies and the many recalls that have plagued other models. Ford has only one recall for his Lightning related to the air pressure sensor. Ford has not yet issued a recall or notice related to the battery issue identified by its engineers.
