Ford delays shipping certain 2024 F-150 gas-powered and Lightning EV pickups

Ford has halted shipments of its 2024 F-150 Lightning EV pickup and only just started shipping its brand new 2024 F-150 gas-powered truck after a multi-week delay, due to quality checks. A delay affecting Ford’s high-profit F-150 sales and more possible EV troubles could potentially impact Ford’s first quarter performance.

Automotive News first reported that a 2024 F-150 Lightning “stop-ship” order went into effect Feb. 9 due to an undisclosed quality issue and that “hundreds, if not thousands” of gas-powered 2024 F-150 trucks have been piling up in Ford holding lots since production began in December, before deliveries began late last week.

“We started shipping the first newly designed F-150 pickups to dealers this week. MY24 Lightnings started shipping last month,” a Ford spokesperson told Yahoo Finance. “We expect to ramp up shipments in the coming weeks as we complete thorough launch quality checks to ensure these new F-150s meet our high standards and delight customers.”

When asked to confirm whether MY24 Lightnings were still under a “stop-ship” order, a Ford spokesperson only said, “We will ramp shipments once quality checks are completed,” and did not address whether the “stop-ship” had been lifted. Ford did confirm that F-150 trim levels, such as the Lariat, Limited, and Platinum, are delayed.

With regard to quality issues holding up F-150 gas and hybrid-powered deliveries, the same Ford spokesperson said Ford had “started shipping F-150 XL and STX units to customers, and will continue to ramp up shipments to include the other series as they pass our quality checks.” 

Ford updated the F-150 product line for the 2024 model year with exterior styling enhancements and an updated interior, among other things. Ford is also prioritizing pushing out more hybrid F-150s, which were popular among its buyers, and has been continually updating the Lightning EV to improve its feature set and cost profile.

The F-150 pickup is the bestselling vehicle in America, with Ford selling over 700,000 trucks in the US, up nearly 15% from a year ago. F-150 Lightning sales topped 24K units last year, up 54% from 2022.

While first shipments of F-150 gasoline and Lighting EV pickups are