Ford stops production of electric F-150 after battery fire

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says it has suspended production and halted shipments of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup after a battery caught fire during a pre-delivery quality check. Production at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, has been stopped until at least the end of next week. The fire was discovered Feb. 4 and production halted a day later. The automaker says in a statement issued Wednesday night it has no reason to believe electric pickups already in use by customers are affected by the battery issue. Ford expects to conclude its investigation by the end of next week and make battery production changes that could take a few weeks.