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Ford halts F-150 Lightning production, citing battery issues
Ford Motor will pause production on its F-150 Lightning until at least February 24 because the electric pickup truck has a battery problem.
The Michigan automaker spotted a potential battery issue this week during a pre-delivery quality inspection and started investigating the cause. Ford said it’s not aware of battery issues impacting vehicles already out on the road.
“We believe we have identified the root cause of this issue,” Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg told CBS MoneyWatch on Wednesday. “By the end of next week, we expect to conclude our investigation and apply what we learn to the truck’s battery production process.”
Applying that process “could take a few weeks,” Bergg said.
“We will continue holding already-produced vehicles while we work through engineering and process updates,” she said.
Ford began selling its F-150 Lightning last year. The production pause threatens Ford’s plan to deliver 600,000 Lightning trucks in 2023.
Since their release last May, Ford has sold 15,617 of the electric trucks, according to the most recent company data available. The company sold 2,436 of them in October, the most ever sold in one month.
Soaring demand for EVs
Ford is betting big on the F-150 Lightning, investing millions of dollars on a new facility for a vehicle that’s already been named the 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year.
When company officials first announced the truck in 2021, demand quickly soared as the pre-order list surpassed 100,000 within three weeks. Workers are building the vehicle in a new plant in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford’s pause comes as interest and demand for electric vehicles continue to rise in the U.S. A survey from motor club AAA found that about a quarter of Americans say they want to get an electric vehicle as their next car purchase. Research from Recurrent, a car industry analysis company, found that interest in buying an electric vehicle has soared 70% since last January.
Ford raised the price of the F-150 Lightning in October as it sought to offset rising manufacturing costs. Other automakers also hiked the cost of their EV lines — including Rivian, GM and Tesla — amid surging metal prices and higher costs for components like lithium, which is used to make batteries.
Ford earlier this month reported $1.3 billion in profit for the fourth quarter of 2022, down roughly 89% from the same period last year. CEO Jim Farley said in an earnings call this month that he’s frustrated with the 2022 performance “because the year could have been so much more for us at Ford.”
Ford’s stock price fell nearly 1% on Wednesday to about $12.80 a share, its second day of declines.
Isak Andic, the founder of Spanish clothing retailer Mango, one of Europe’s largest fashion groups with nearly 2,800 stores worldwide, died Saturday in an accident, the company said.
Photo by Foc Kan/WireImage via Getty
“It is with deep regret that we announce the unexpected death of Isak Andic, our non-executive chairman and founder of Mango,” the Barcelona-based company’s CEO, Toni Ruiz, said in a statement.
“Isak has been an example for all of us. He dedicated his life to Mango, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his strategic vision, his inspiring leadership and his unwavering commitment to values that he himself imbued in our company,” he added.
The company did not provide further details about the accident. Spanish media said the 71-year-old died after falling while hiking with several members of his family near Barcelona.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on social media, “My condolences to the family of Isak Andic, founder of Mango, on his tragic death in an accident in the Salnitre de Collbató caves.” He added, “All my love and recognition for your great work and business vision, which has turned this Spanish firm into a world leader in fashion.”
Mango traces its origins to 1984, when Andic, who is of Turkish origin, opened his first shop on the Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona’s famous shopping street, with the help of his older brother Nahman.
It was hugely successful. Spain had just emerged from a decades-long dictatorship that ended with the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975, and consumers were hungry for more modern clothes.
“His departure leaves a huge void, but we are all, in some way, his legacy and the testimony of his achievements. It is up to us, and this is the best tribute we can make to Isak and which we will fulfill, to ensure that Mango continues to be the project that Isak aspired to and of which he would be proud,” Ruiz said.
Mango has consolidated its position as one of the leading international fashion groups, with a major presence in more than 120 markets and 15,500 employees worldwide, according to its website.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi underwent a successful hip transplant after being hospitalized during a trip to Luxembourg, her office said Saturday.
“Earlier this morning, Speaker Emerita Pelosi underwent a successful hip replacement and is well on the mend,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
The operation was conducted at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base in Germany.
The spokesperson added, “Speaker Pelosi is grateful to U.S. military staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base and medical staff at Hospital Kirchberg in Luxembourg for their excellent care and kindness.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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1 person killed at U.S. Army base in Georgia in what authorities say appears to be an “isolated” incident
A U.S. Army installation in Georgia was locked down Saturday after a person was shot and killed in what base authorities described as an isolated incident.
The shooter was apprehended and taken into custody, and an “all clear” was given around 9:45 a.m. local time, less than an hour after Fort Eisenhower went into lockdown, the installation’s operations center said on social media.
The shooting took place at housing located on the base, which is located outside Augusta, Georgia, authorities said.
“The incident appears to be isolated,” according to a Facebook post on Saturday from Fort Eisenhower.
Information about the victim will not be released until their family has been notified, according to the base. No further details were released.
“Fort Eisenhower is actively supporting the victim’s family and assistance will be available to anyone impacted by this tragedy,” the installation said on Facebook.
Fort Eisenhower issued the alert on social media Saturday morning with a “LOCK DOWN! LOCK DOWN!” message. “Execute lock down procedures on the installation immediately! If you are in danger take appropriate action,” the message said.
A short time later, the operations center said the threat had passed and that normal operations could resume. However, the base canceled activities related to the afternoon’s Army-Navy football game, which was being played outside Washington.
The base’s public affairs officer, a spokesperson for the base’s medical center and a spokesperson for the nearby Richmond County Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately return phone calls.
Formerly named Fort Gordon, the installation is home to the United States Army Cyber Command.
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