Ford Reroutes EV Plant to Super Duty Truck Production Amid EV Strategy Shift

Ford has announced plans to manufacture its Super Duty heavy-duty pickups at a plant originally designated for electric vehicle production.

On Thursday, the car manufacturer revealed its plans to expand the manufacture of Super Duty vehicles at the Oakville Assembly Complex situated in Ontario, Canada, commencing in 2026. This expansion is set to boost the production capabilities by an additional 100,000 vehicles. Ford has also indicated that it will be creating new employment opportunities and increasing work hours at an engine factory in Ontario as well as at three component facilities in the United States to aid this growth. According to Ford, the two factories that are currently assembling the Super Duty trucks produced a total of 200,000 trucks in the first six months of 2024.

Manufacturing facility of Ford in Oak

The manufacturing facility in Oakville, which used to produce the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus crossover vehicles, was scheduled to begin producing electric vehicles (EVs) from this year onward. Back in 2020, Ford announced plans to introduce five EV models at this facility, with the final model expected to be produced by 2028. This decision came as part of a fresh agreement with the local labor union and followed Ford's decision to cease the production of the Edge and Nautilus models at the Oakville location.

Ford has recently been scaling down its electric vehicle ambitions. This past April, Ford divulged that its upcoming electric truck, dubbed T3, would be postponed by a year, and a forthcoming electric SUV with three rows of seating would hit the market two years behind schedule. At that juncture, Ford indicated a shift in strategy towards hybrid vehicles, aiming to introduce a hybrid engine option across its entire lineup.

Upcoming 2024 Model of Ford's Heavy-Duty

Simultaneously with this development, Ford disclosed its earnings report, which revealed substantial deficits in its electric vehicle sector, specifically within its Model E division responsible for electric passenger cars. Notably, Ford's other divisions such as Ford Pro, which focuses on fleet vehicles, also market electric vehicles. Despite the losses, Ford had committed to introducing cost-effective electric vehicles that have the potential for higher sales volumes, although their market launch is expected to be delayed.

In recent developments, Ford has been caught in the act of testing what seems to be an electric pickup truck, notable for its in-wheel motors and the use of eight-lug wheels typically found on robust trucks such as the Super Duty. However, it is still uncertain if this innovation will make it to the manufacturing stage.

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