Ford F-150 Lightning’s production halt due to battery fires in February has been a cause for concern, but now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revealed the cause of the battery fires. In a report released by the NHTSA, it stated that the fires were the result of a manufacturing defect in the battery cells, which could result in an internal short circuit when the high voltage battery is at a high state of charge, leading to a fire.
The report went on to detail that the defect was due to production process deviations at the supplier, where the cathode aluminum tabs may contact the anode electrode material, causing an internal short circuit. Ford was able to replicate the issue and traced down the defective battery packs to the exact vehicles, leading to the recall of 18 F-150 Lightnings.
The automaker has announced that remediation of the issue will require the installation of new battery packs installed free of charge. However, the key concern for investors and analysts is whether Ford’s production and reliability issues will continue to plague its F-150 Lightning rollout, which is still in its nascent stage and figures to be a huge growth driver for its EV unit in the years to come.
Ford has assured investors that it will continue to apply learnings and work with SK On’s team to ensure it delivers high-quality battery packs. The F-150 Lightning incident highlights the importance of ensuring quality control and safety measures in the production process of EV batteries. The auto industry is in a race to produce high-quality EV models, and to do so safely whilst ensuring a reliable and functional product is of paramount importance.
