Ford has announced plans to boost EV production in North America as demand increases. The automaker will expand its manufacturing plants throughout the continent.
Ford will step up the manufacture of the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit EVs at its plants in Detroit, Kansas, and Cuautitlan in Mexico. The automaker reported a jump of 68% in sales in February.
Mustang Mach-E production started in Mexico in early February. Ford implemented some changes at the factory that nearly doubled production hours and will help reach the 210,000 units target by the end of the year.
Courtesy of the well-received Mustang Mach-E, Ford ranked second in EV sales last year, behind Tesla. As proof of the brand’s attractiveness, more than two-thirds of the buyers jumped ship from other brands. Ford has sold 50,000 units of the Mach-E.
Ford will triple the F-150 Lightning production number at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center this year. It is targeting an annual run rate of 150,000. The Lightning is the best-selling battery-powered pickup in the US, moving 15,617 units in 2022. Buyers have snapped up 3,600 units in the first two months of 2023.
The three plants in Michigan will see a US$2 billion investment, where they will produce more Lightning pickups. Ford will create 3,200 jobs in the process.
The Kansas City Assembly Plant, where the E-Transit is produced, will sign up more workers. Ford wants to increase the electric van’s production by 38,000 units (including the Transit). The expansion work will cost $95 million and add 1,100 jobs.
