Ford Receives Supply of Chips To Finish Producing its F-Series Trucks

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

The semiconductor chip shortage continues to be a major issue for automakers, as the situation doesn't seem to be getting much better. Nearly every automaker has had to adjust production of certain models or close factories for a certain period because of the chip shortage. Ford decided it was best to manufacture F-Series pickup trucks and then park them on empty parking lots across the country to wait to get more chips. There's some good news for Ford dealers and consumers waiting on pickup trucks, as the automaker has reportedly received a large supply of chips to finish production of a large number of F-Series trucks.

Ford Ready To Finish Production On Thousands Of Trucks

According to a report by the Detroit Free Press, Ford received a large enough supply of semiconductor chips to ship thousands of F-Series trucks to dealers. The chips will be used to finish production of trucks in Michigan, Kentucky, and Missouri. The automaker didn't give the outlet a specific figure on exactly how many pickup trucks it would be able to finish and ship out.

"We're working to get chips into F-Series pickups and get them out to dealers. That's our first priority," said Erich Merkle, U.S. sales analyst at Ford. "We'll see our inventories improve. It'll take time but stock will gradually start to improve the second half of the year."

Getting these trucks to dealerships is a high priority for Ford, which has incredibly low inventory at dealerships. Merkle claims that Ford inventory is at "record lows."

Why Ford Is Focusing On F-Series Production

Sales of Ford F-Series trucks, which have been the most popular vehicles in the U.S. for multiple years in a row, are down this year. Compared to last June, when Ford sold 65,188 F-Series trucks, the automaker has only sold 45,673 F-Series trucks this year, which is down 29.9 percent.

Receiving a large supply of semiconductor chips is a great thing for Ford. In May, images of F-Series pickup trucks that looked like they were ready to be sold sitting at empty lots around the country surfaced. One of the larger collections of F-Series trucks was located at Kentucky Speedway. Apparently, Ford was storing so many vehicles there, that they could be spotted from space.

Ford is clearly focusing on using its latest arrival of semiconductor chips to catch up on deliveries of its F-Series trucks. Other vehicles have been affected by the shortage, but Ford's decision to focus on its pickup trucks makes sense, as those are its best-sellers.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods