Ford F-150 Lightning Manufacturing To Resume, Morgan Stanley Pooh-Poohs Tesla Cybertruck

In February, a Ford F-150 Lightning parked in a holding lot on firm property caught fireplace. Ford instantly halted manufacturing on the Rouge Electrical Car Middle the place the F-150 Lighting is assembled and issued a cease cargo order till the reason for the battery fireplace was recognized.

The Detroit Bureau stated on the time that Ford was “holding (each manufacturing and cargo) of automobiles” whereas it investigates the difficulty. Though, gross sales are nonetheless open, and no motion is being taken for any of the Lightnings which have already been delivered, as Ford stated it was “not conscious of any incidences of this difficulty within the area.”

The battery difficulty was discovered “in a pre-delivery high quality test,” based on the corporate. Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg stated, “We consider we now have recognized the basis reason for this difficulty. By the tip of subsequent week, we count on to conclude our investigation and apply what we be taught to the truck’s battery manufacturing course of; this might take a couple of weeks.” In line with the Wall Road Journal, Ford says, “Now we have no cause to consider F-150 Lightnings already in prospects’ palms are affected by this difficulty.”

Now Reuters is reporting that Ford is on monitor to renew manufacturing of F-150 Lightning pickup vehicles on Monday and is recalling 18 of them as a result of a battery cell manufacturing defect. The recall introduced on Friday associated to manufacturing over a four-week interval that started on the finish of final yr. Ford stated it had not too long ago established “that 18 automobiles containing cells from that four-week interval had made it to sellers and prospects.”

Ford stated it is going to substitute the battery packs in these 18 automobiles however stated it isn’t conscious of any fires or any accidents associated to the recall. One truck caught fireplace in a holding lot in Dearborn, Michigan, on February 4 and unfold to 2 different vehicles parked close by. The corporate halted manufacturing the subsequent day.

The announcement final Friday  stated “the basis trigger recognized was associated to battery cell manufacturing on the SK On plant in Georgia.” It went on to say a joint investigation involving Ford and SK On had “confirmed the basis causes” and the 2 corporations have “applied high quality actions.” Ford stated Friday it nonetheless has not set a date for resuming deliveries however stated manufacturing is on monitor to renew Monday with a “clear inventory of battery packs.”

Ford clearly realized from the Chevy Bolt battery fireplace fiasco of 2021, which took many months to resolve and concerned directions to park the automobiles exterior and restrict charging to 90% or much less. It was a black eye for Chevrolet and LG Chem (now known as LG Power Resolution), one which Ford seeks to keep away from. The F-150 Lightning is a crucial a part of its transition to electrical automobiles and it can not afford any errors.

It appears Ford and SK On have recognized the difficulty and brought acceptable steps to resolve the issue earlier than any injury to the popularity of the F-150 Lightning may happen. Good for Ford for being proactive and forthright about getting out forward of this difficulty and getting manufacturing restarted in such a brief time period.

Morgan Stanley Has Second Ideas concerning the Tesla Cybertruck

Tesla Cybertruck.

The Tesla Cybertruck is a polarizing design. It actually is a “find it irresistible or hate it” proposition that appears to have sprung full blown from the forehead of Elon Musk after watching a re-run of the sci-fi basic Blade Runner. Regardless of some unfavourable suggestions, Tesla says it isn’t apprehensive and has already booked greater than 1.6 million pre-orders for the car, which appears to be like nothing like all pickup truck ever manufactured earlier than. If all of these pre-orders flip into gross sales, Tesla will probably be manufacturing a whole bunch of 1000’s of Cybertrucks for years to come back.

The corporate says it is going to start restricted manufacturing of the truck later this yr. From the newest studies, it has thought-about various completely different batteries for the Cybertruck however is now dedicated to utilizing the 4680 giant format battery cells it invented. It reportedly is going through technical points getting these cells into quantity manufacturing, which can clarify why Tesla’s electrical pickup truck has been delayed up till this level.

Unnamed sources are telling Reuters the first-generation 4680 cells inbuilt Fremont have but to attain the aim Tesla has set for vitality density. To this point, the method to dry coat the anodes is on monitor, however the firm remains to be having points with dry coating the cathode, which is the place probably the most vital features are anticipated to be made.

In line with the newest studies, Tesla has enlisted the help of two Chinese language corporations, Ningbo Ronbay New Power and Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing, to assist trim supplies prices because it ramps up manufacturing of 4680 battery cells in the US. It has additionally signed a cope with Korea’s L&F Co to produce high-nickel cathodes that would improve the vitality density of its 4680 cells, one of many sources stated. Tesla plans to make use of a cathode with greater than 90 % nickel within the subsequent era of 4680 cells, two sources instructed Reuters.

Morgan Stanley has been a staunch supporter of Tesla over time, however it stated this week it has some doubts about how a lot demand there will probably be for the Cybertruck. In line with Autoblog, the monetary companies firm stated not too long ago the electrical pickup “will extra probably be an fanatic/cult automobile with way more restricted quantity.” It estimates Tesla will promote round 50,000 models per yr. “We really feel the Cybertruck carries extra worth in a cultural/zeitgeist sense than in a direct financial sense. On the similar time, we encourage our readers to ask themselves: what number of Cybertrucks can roll as much as a parent-teacher convention or youth soccer match on the similar time earlier than shedding a few of that indescribable … one thing?”

Ouch. That’s harsh, however is it inaccurate? Across the tapas bar at CleanTechnica world headquarters, the controversy over the Cybertruck has been raging for years. Zachary Shahan, the exalted grand poohbah of all issues Tesla, thinks the Cybertruck could result in a revolution within the pickup truck section away from the normal vehicles the Huge Three (plus Toyota) are cranking out by the thousands and thousands as we speak. Others across the government champagne waterfall are much less assured of that.

Truck consumers are fiercely loyal to their favourite model they usually clearly like what has turn out to be the norm in the best way a pickup truck is meant to look. It begins with a excessive prow that could possibly be the entrance of a WWII touchdown craft, then strikes again to full four-door cab with seating for five, adopted be a cargo field of round 5.5 ft. The Cybertruck eschews any of these design cues. Musk appears blissfully unconcerned concerning the polarizing model of his creation, however pickup truck consumers are about as set of their methods as Harley-Davidson homeowners.

Will the Cybertruck be a smashing gross sales success or an orphan misplaced among the many flotilla of standard pickup vehicles on the street? That’s the $64,000 query that nobody has a solution for at this second. Time will inform.

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