Ford, the U.S.-based automaker, continues to consolidate its electrification strategy, and announced the beginning of production for the Ford F-150 Lightning, a fully electric pick-up truck.
The company sees the prototype as one of the most innovative products introduced so far on the sustainable market, as the famous pickup evolves to adapt to industry trends.
The investment totals $250 million and creates 450 additional direct jobs at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, the Van Dyke Electric Train Center and the Rawsonville Component Plant. The project is expected to help increase production capacity to 80,000 trucks per year.
Related content: Volkswagen will have a new laboratory for battery development
It features an emission-free propulsion system with a maximum power output of 563 hp, 10.50 Nm of torque and a 300-mile range.
At the opening of the Electric Vehicle Center, Ford hosted U.S. government officials, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, to celebrate the commitment of the company with the state, celebrating the pre-production start of the Ford F-150 Lightning.
“We are on the brink of an electrification era that will be built in factories like this one by Ford workers and innovative minds,” Governor Whitmer stated.
“I am proud that Ford has committed to investing millions of dollars in electrification through 2025, and creating 450 jobs to support the production of the new vehicle.
Overall Success
According to Ford reports, orders for up to 150,000 units have been booked to date, indicating both public interest and the commercial success ahead. The 100,000-unit limit was reached in just three weeks.
Despite being an electric vehicle, the F-150 maintains intact the essence of both its visual appearance and styling, in line with electrification.
Kumar Galhotra, President of the Americas and International Markets Group at Ford, said the pickup is intended to be more than just a zero-emission truck, but is packed with ingenious features and technology that will improve over time.
Written by I Jhonattan González
