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Ford pauses F-150 Lightning production, citing potential battery issue

One year after Ford confirmed construction of the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich., the first Ford F-150 Lightning pre-production units begin leaving the factory. Pre-production model shown. F-150 Lightning available starting spring 2022.

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Update 1:46 PM EST: paragraph 3 updated with quote from Ford

Ford is halting production and shipments of the F-150 Lightning, its all-electric version of the best-selling pickup truck in the United States, citing potential battery issues.

The stop shipment order and production halt were issued early last week, Ford spokespeople said.

“There is a Stop Build and In-Transit Stop Ship for F-150 Lightning,” Ford’s Emma Bergg told Teslarati. As part of our pre-delivery quality inspections, a vehicle displayed a potential battery issue and we are holding vehicles while we investigate.

There is currently no stop-sale for vehicles that are already located on Ford dealer lots, as available units can currently be sold to customers.

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Ford announced yesterday that it was investing $3.5 billion in an electric vehicle battery production facility in Michigan, partnering with Chinese company CATL. The plant is expected to produce lithium iron phosphate cells, which are less expensive to produce but have less power and range than other cell chemistries.

Ford announces $3.5B EV battery production plant with CATL’s help

Ford CEO Jim Farley said during the company’s most recent Earnings Call that the automaker left “about $2 billion on the table.” Farley went on to say that 2023 will be a “pivotal” year in the automaker’s transition to electric vehicles, and while this is not necessarily a strong start, it is routine.

Automakers combat vehicle recalls and production issues, and it is simply part of the manufacturing process.

As electric vehicle makers continue to work toward producing EVs on a more massive scale, these production issues are sure to occur, but they can be fixed. Ford initiated the stop-shipment and production pause after a vehicle displayed a potential issue as a part of the company’s pre-delivery quality inspection process.

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I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles

It appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles, as it could be looking to phase out something that very few owners utilize.

Tesla Key Cards are included when you purchase your vehicle, and they assist in the initial setup process. However, after that, they are not super useful or relevant to the owner, as many rely on their Phone Key through the Tesla App to access their cars.

As such, it appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer. According to some language that has been removed from vehicle Owner’s Manuals that talks about the inclusion of key cards with the car upon delivery:

“Tesla provides you with two Model 3/Y key cards, designed to fit in your wallet.”

That sentence was removed from Owner’s Manuals, according to Not a Tesla App, which first spotted the change.

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Interestingly, the timing of the phrase being removed from Owner’s Manuals comes just after Tesla launched its “affordable” Standard Models, and could be a small money-saving measure for the company.

Key Cards have been utilized by Tesla for its cars since 2017, as they became an included accessory with the vehicle. They still have their place and are useful for other applications, such as Valet service and even to be used by car owners if their phone is dead or if someone else needs to get into the car.

They can also be purchased in the Tesla Shop for $40.

It seems as if Tesla is planning to have owners be completely reliant on the Phone Key, which is more useful and convenient than carrying around the Key Cards.

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Although it is minor, it is yet another strategy Tesla is using to trim any sort of costs that can be eliminated and could save money in the long run.

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Elon Musk confirms Tesla FSD V14.2 will see widespread rollout

Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.

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Credit: Whole Mars Catalog/X

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla will be implementing a wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) V14 with the system’s V14.2 update. Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X. 

FSD V14.1.2 earns strong praise from testers

Musk’s comment came as a response to Tesla owner and longtime FSD tester AI DRIVR, who noted that it might be time to release Full Self-Driving to the fleet because V14.1.2 has already become very refined.

“95% of the indecisive lane changes and braking have been fixed in FSD 14.1.2. I haven’t touched my steering wheel in two days. I think it’s time, Tesla AI,” the longtime FSD tester wrote

AI DRIVR’s comment received quite a bit of support from fellow Tesla drivers, some of whom noted that the improvements that were implemented in V14.1.2 are substantial. Others also agreed that it’s time for FSD to see a wide release.

In his reply to the FSD tester, CEO Elon Musk noted that FSD V14’s wide release would happen with V14.2. “14.2 for widespread use,” Musk wrote in his reply

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Mad Max mode makes headlines

One of the key features that was introduced with FSD’s current iteration is Mad Max mode, which allows for higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the previous “Hurry” mode. Videos and social media posts from FSD testers have shown the system deftly handling complex traffic, merging seamlessly, and maintaining an assertive but safe driving behavior with Mad Max mode engaged.

Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy recently noted in a post on X that Mad Max mode was built to handle congested daytime traffic, making it extremely useful for drivers who tend to find themselves in heavy roads during their daily commutes. With Musk now hinting that FSD V14.2 will go on wide release, it might only be a matter of time before the larger Tesla fleet gets to experience the notable improvements of FSD’s V14 update.

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Multiple Tesla Cybercab units spotted at Giga Texas crash test facility

The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size.

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Credit: @JoeTegtmeyer/X

It appears that Tesla is ramping up its activities surrounding the development and likely initial production of the Cybercab at Giga Texas. This was, at least, hinted at in a recent drone flyover of the massive electric vehicle production facility in Austin. 

Cybercab sightings fuel speculations

As observed by longtime Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla had several covered Cybercab units outside the facility’s crash testing facility at the time of his recent flyover. The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size. Tegtmeyer also observed during his flyover that production of the Model Y Standard seems to be hitting its pace.

The drone operator noted that the seven covered Cybercabs might be older prototypes being decommissioned or new units awaiting crash tests. Either scenario points to a ramp-up in Cybercab activity at Giga Texas, however. “In either case, this is another datapoint indicating production is getting closer to happening,” Tegtmeyer wrote on X, highlighting that the autonomous two-seaters were quite exciting to see.

Cybercab production targets

This latest sighting follows reports of renewed Cybercab appearances at both the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas. A test unit was recently spotted driving on Giga Texas’ South River Road. Another Cybercab, seen at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, appeared to be manually driven, suggesting that the vehicle’s current prototypes may still be produced with temporary steering controls.

The Tesla Cybercab is designed to be the company’s highest-volume vehicle, with CEO Elon Musk estimating that the autonomous two-seater should see an annual production rate of about 2 million units per year. To accomplish this, Tesla will be building the Cybercab using its “Unboxed” process, which should help the vehicle’s production line achieve outputs that are more akin to consumer electronics production lines.

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