August 11 Ford Announcement Livestream - Register to Watch Here

[I <3 My Lightning]

The best part... Guess what assembly line employees? When you start to build these in a couple of years you will have temperate air in the factory. No more sweating as much..... "Soon".

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[TaxmanHog]

I would guess we won't see a vehicle reveal until the plant is fully retooled and dry run of assembly has been completed, but maybe we'll more teases along the way.

 

[Grumpy2]

Ford may be prepping the public for a pickup that doesn't look like today's Lightning by explaining how it is so much better and cheaper they are to produce.

Also perhaps a 80+ kWh battery too?

 

[Ted23Lightning]

I would guess we won't see a vehicle reveal until the plant is fully retooled and dry run of assembly has been completed, but maybe we'll more teases along the way.

I’m a little confused, is it over? Did they just announce that they’re building a new EV platform & type of assembly line, but not show off the vehicle?

 

[TaxmanHog]

@Ford Motor Company put up a new thread after the event.....

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...orm-assembly-process-and-midsize-truck.29977/

 

[I <3 My Lightning]

Ford authority recently published some spy shots of lighting looking trucks caravanning towing things. Perhaps those are test beds for the new battery and drivetrain platforms.

www.fordauthority.com/2025/08/ford-f-150-lightning-prototype-spotted-testing-in-arizona

 

[Flipper]

They just talked about what the lightning already is...I guess this will be the new ranger? Can't believe we waited for them to show us nothing

 

[chl]

Much of the manufacturing changes announced are long overdue, fewer parts, less wiring, less cooling plumbing, etc. so that's a positive move.

A lighter chassis - good.
LFP battery - good.
Modular construction - good.
Tree-like assembly line - good.
More efficient vehicle - good.
Better range for the battery size - good.
Entry price point $30k - good (if they stick to that).
Easier and faster to assemble - good.
No import tariffs - good.

Definitely a positive change for Ford and their EV Truck production.

Short on details, but understandable way to protect their intellectual property - ok.

I'd like to have seen something about the aerodynamics of the truck - from the profiles shown it still looks like an inefficient boxy thing - not good.

Probably should have done all this when they developed the Lightning, but better late than never.

Getting legacy automobile/truck manufacturers to change is never easy.

Overall I think this is a positive move on the part of @Ford Motor Company

Of course, haters are gonna hate...

 

[TaxmanHog]

 

[I <3 My Lightning]

I'm not hating here... I just required more info as to make an informed decision like the lightning. I saw the lightning and said one day I will have one. Ran numbers and configured specs 2 years before purchasing. Picked it up just how I wanted it spec'ed.

Watched 3 ev competitor trucks coming out, spec'ed out the features that interested me, did an analysis cost/feature/performance and the lightning for me still won.

Was hoping the news would force me to start saving cans to recycle to help purchase my future vehicle...

 

[PJnc284]

I'm not hating here... I just required more info as to make an informed decision like the lightning. I saw the lightning and said one day I will have one. Ran numbers and configured specs 2 years before purchasing. Picked it up just how I wanted it spec'ed.

Watched 3 ev competitor trucks coming out, spec'ed out the features that interested me, did an analysis cost/feature/performance and the lightning for me still won.

Was hoping the news would force me to start saving cans to recycle to help purchase my future vehicle...

yeah. If they had left out the "model T moment", I doubt people would've been expecting much but they throw that in and everyone expects something ground breaking. Sure that 30k will turn into 40-50k by the time they start rolling it out.

 

[Maxx]

It sounded like a fight to stay relevant in future of automotive industry by trying to make EV production profitable. It is more about manufacturing. On our end it is mostly about price.

Some of it seems like what Tesla and Rivian are already doing like gigacasting, reducing wires and it looks like battery and seats are assembled separately and fitted inside the cab like Tesla.

here were some teaser shots if you have not watched it yet:

 

[Maxx]

Great observation. It looked like the whole thing was targeted at share holders not the potential buyers and didn’t work.

 

[I <3 My Lightning]

I spy a VW ID4....

If I recall isn't the European version of the Ford explorer EV just a VW????

 

[CD4TNF]

Link to recording of the livestream here. For anyone who missed it and wants to watch it for themselves.




Some takeaways I thought:

• Cost comes from manufacturing. The less American human time involved, the cheaper the product. That is key and feels central to their manufacturing philosophy.
• Less time to manipulate parts and less weight of parts means quicker task completion
• I did like the UAW guy brought it home. These innovations means the workers bodies will have less strain. Preventing workers comp injuries. Better lives for their workers.
• I'm quite interested and will wait to see the implications of their Tree Manufacturing Production line. This idea of 3 parallel lines then welding the assembled front and back pieces to the assembled middle. The strategy is a template they're going to use moving forward.
• This presentation was a projection of that long term strategy. The workers, plant managers, etc can expect this 3-parallel-lane production in the future. That's some good certainty their leadership can give their company at this moment with this long term vision.

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