Faced with a severe microchip shortage in 2021, some automakers chose to partially build vehicles and store them rather than shut down production altogether. Ford made news with acres of unfinished pickup trucks parked in lots around its factories, but it appears the automaker is making major headway.
The Drive received a tip from a reader, claiming that Ford had finally removed most of the pileup of unfinished Super Duty trucks seen at the Kentucky Speedway near Louisville. “Today, easily 90% of the trucks are gone with more trailers on the lot being loaded,” he told the publication.
Though the unfinished vehicles have drawn attention, they’ve allowed Ford to keep production lines rolling. General Motors took a similar approach, parking tens of thousands of trucks and other vehicles while waiting for chips, but it had rolling production shutdowns throughout the last two years. Even so, both automakers are deep into plans for electrification and will revamp existing facilities or open new ones over the next few years.
Ford will begin production of the 2023 Super Duty trucks soon, so it’s about time to finish the 2022s. Customers have been vocal with complaints about delays and long waits, but as The Drive pointed out, there appears to be a recent boom in “got my new truck!” posts on Facebook.
Super Duty trucks are just one of Ford’s high-demand products. The automaker drastically increased production of its electric F-150 Lightning, and buyers are still waiting months to receive orders. Ford said it already has more than 150,000 orders for the 2023 Super Duty, so it looks like they could become its next hard-to-find model.
