DETROIT – Ford Motor expects manufacturing of its electrical F-150 Lightning pickup to be down by means of no less than the tip of subsequent week to handle a possible battery subject that resulted in a automobile fireplace on Feb. 4, the automaker stated Wednesday.

The affirmation of the hearth and up to date timing comes a day after Ford confirmed manufacturing of the extremely watched automobile had been suspended in the beginning of final week.

The corporate stated Wednesday it believes engineers have discovered the foundation reason behind the hearth. The investigation into the issue is predicted to be accomplished by the tip of subsequent week, adopted by changes to the truck’s battery manufacturing course of that “may take a number of weeks.”

The fireplace, which was first reported by the Detroit Free Press, occurred in a holding lot throughout a pre-delivery high quality examine and unfold to a close-by automobile, Ford stated.

A Ford spokeswoman declined to reveal further particulars of the difficulty, which led to the manufacturing halt in addition to a stop-shipment on already-produced vehicles.

The battery provider for the truck is South Korea-based SK On, a by-product of SK Innovation, which the Detroit automaker introduced a three way partnership with in 2021 to determine battery manufacturing services within the U.S.

Ford stated it isn’t conscious of any incidents of this subject in automobiles which have already been delivered to prospects and sellers. Retailers can proceed to promote automobiles that they might have already got in inventory.

The F-150 Lightning is being intently watched by traders, because it’s the primary mainstream electrical pickup truck available on the market and a significant launch for Ford.

The battery subject provides to ongoing “execution points” detailed to traders earlier this month by Ford CEO Jim Farley that crippled the automaker’s fourth-quarter earnings.

Farley reiterated Wednesday that the automaker must do higher operationally to be extra worthwhile and produce margins in step with opponents. He stated Ford is much less worthwhile than its legacy friends as a result of it has a value drawback of between $7 billion and $8 billion.

“We are able to minimize the associated fee, we will minimize folks, we will do that actually rapidly and we’ll do no matter we have to,” Farley stated throughout a Wolfe Analysis convention. “The fact is in case you do not change the effectivity of engineering, provide chain and manufacturing, the fundamental work assertion, the best way folks work, the effectivity of that it will develop again.”

Farley later added, “That is actually about redesigning what we do within the 120-year-old a part of the corporate.”

Automakers routinely have points and recollects related to automobiles however issues with batteries are of explicit concern and curiosity, because the automakers make investments billions of {dollars} within the automobiles.

Some of the notable points has been with Normal Motors’ Chevrolet Bolt EVs. The Detroit automaker two years in the past needed to recall the entire automobiles constructed up till then to handle fireplace points brought on by “uncommon manufacturing defects” at services of its battery provider LG Battery Answer.

Correction: Ford and SK Innovation introduced a three way partnership in 2021. An earlier model misstated the timing.