If you’re looking to buy a Ford F-150, you may want to do it sooner rather than later. The automaker said Thursday that its hot-selling full-size pickup — America’s most popular vehicle for decades running — will see production cuts due to a global shortage of computer chips essential to operating its myriad functions.
Ford joins nearly every other automaker in announcing plans to cut production due to the shortage. Pandemic restrictions spurred a major increase in demand for personal computers and video game consoles, while car sales have rebounded globally. Simply put, manufacturers didn’t expect to need as many essential chips as they now do.
The timing is especially challenging for Ford, which recently redesigned its F-Series lineup. Ford doesn’t break out sales of its half-ton F-150 compared to its larger, heavier-duty F-250, F-350 models, but there’s no question that the truck is massively popular. Ford sold more than 787,000 F-Series pickup trucks last year.
Automakers are hardly alone in struggling to source enough chips to build their cars, and Ford joins a growing list that includes General Motors, Nissan, and Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Smartphone and electronics builders including Samsung and Apple have indicated that their products will also be harder to find on shelves.
