Ford Shifts Focus from EVs to Gas Trucks Amid Supply Chain Disruptions
Ford Motor Company is reallocating all hourly staff from its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, to the nearby Dearborn Truck Plant. The MOVE aims to ramp up production of the F-Series trucks, particularly the F-150, as the automaker seeks to recover lost output following a fire at Novelis’ Oswego facility in September.
The blaze at Novelis—a key supplier of aluminum for Ford’s trucks—has severely disrupted supply chains, potentially costing the company up to $2 billion in adjusted profits for Q4 2025. CFO John Lawler emphasized the financial impact during Thursday’s earnings call, while CEO Jim Farley announced plans to add 1,000 jobs to bolster F-Series production.
This marks another setback for Ford’s electric vehicle ambitions. The company previously halted F-150 Lightning production for seven weeks in late 2024 amid slowing demand. Now, the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center sits idle as Ford prioritizes combustion-engine trucks over its flagship Lightning model.