Ford Production in West Tennessee Delayed Until 2028

MASON, Tenn. — Ford Motor Company will delay mass production of its next-generation electric pickup truck at its West Tennessee plant until 2028, the company confirmed Thursday.

According to tennesseelookout.com, Ford informed its suppliers of the delay — a result of the company shifting its focus to smaller, more affordable models — in June. The company also pushed back production of its electric transit van at its plant in Ohio from 2026 to 2028.

Prototypes of the truck will still begin production at BlueOval City in Stanton, Tennessee in 2027.

“F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling electric truck, and E-Transit continue to meet today’s customer needs,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain focused on delivering our Ford+ plan and will be nimble in adjusting our product launch timing to meet market needs and customer demand while targeting improved profitability.”

This announcement comes roughly a year after Ford first delayed production of the truck from its initial production goal of 2025 to 2027. At the time, Ford said the decision was part of a shift toward prioritizing hybrid vehicles and producing lower-cost batteries to improve profitability.

Ford announced its $5.6 billion investment in the BlueOval City campus in Haywood County in 2021, pledging to create 5,800 jobs in return for a nearly $1 billion incentive from the state. The Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center where the electric pickup truck will be manufactured plans to employ roughly 3,000 of those workers. Courtesy of Tennessee Lookout, tennesseelookout.com.

The company has teased a “Model T moment” announcement about its plans to “design and assemble breakthrough electric vehicles in America” at an appearance in Kentucky slated for August 11 at 9:20 a.m. CT.