Dear Sophie: Can I start a company or a side hustle on a TN visa?

Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that answers immigration-related questions about working at technology companies.

“Your questions are vital to the spread of knowledge that allows people all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a founder or seeking a job in Silicon Valley, I would love to answer your questions in my next column.”

TechCrunch+ members receive access to weekly “Dear Sophie” columns; use promo code ALCORN to purchase a one- or two-year subscription for 50% off.


Dear Sophie:

I’m a Canadian citizen working under a TN visa as a software engineer in the U.S. I want to start my own company or at least earn money through a side hustle. Is this possible on my TN, or is the only way I can do that via a green card? If so, is it possible to get permanent residence since the TN is for non-immigrant intent?

— Clever Canadian

Dear Clever,

There are many things that the modern U.S. immigration system was not designed for, including (but not limited to): the internet, e-filing and blockchain, working remotely, working from home, the modern gig economy, startups, flexible work arrangements, contractor work, and the gig economy.

You may know that our current system of laws was generally created by the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1952, back when everything was much simpler The legal history at play here includes judges making decisions about tailors from China sailing to San Francisco to take measurements for suits that would be sewn months later when they returned home.

I’ll get straight to the point: you cannot do any work under your TN for anyone other than the employer that sponsored you for the TN. So, my educational message is this: no side hustles or founding of startups while on your TN.

A composite image of immigration law attorney Sophie Alcorn in front of a background with a TechCrunch logo.

Image Credits: Joanna Buniak / Sophie Alcorn (opens in a new window)

Two TN visas at the same time?

Yes, it’s possible. Under immigration law, you can have two TN visas at the same time — one from your current employer and one from another employer, say, your startup. However, this is very difficult to achieve, and comes with two very important caveats:

Dear Sophie: Can I start a company or a side hustle on a TN visa? by Ram Iyer originally published on TechCrunch

Battery investment moves onshore to kick-start US EV production

Automakers and suppliers are breaking ground on battery factories across the United States as they race to go all in on EVs by the end of the decade.

Car companies and suppliers such as LG Energy, SK Innovation, Panasonic and Samsung are investing more than $38 billion through 2026 to boost battery production in the U.S., according to AlixPartners. In July, Kansas and North Carolina each announced the largest economic development projects in their histories, and Ford finalized a deal to bring its battery production to Tennessee and Kentucky.

This is just the start of a boom in onshore battery manufacturing: The Inflation Reduction Act, which includes tax credits to encourage domestic production of electric vehicles and batteries, offers manufacturers $30 billion in credits to speed the production of batteries and minerals processing, as well as solar panels and wind turbines, and $10 billion to build plants for EVs and solar panels.

The multiyear projects already announced won’t begin producing batteries for EVs until middecade, but shortening the supply chain will ultimately help manufacturers control costs and reduce dependence on foreign sources for raw materials. Building a domestic battery industry also lets automakers co-locate near partners, a crucial factor as the industry begins experimenting with different battery chemistries.

“This way you’re in that feedback loop that allows you to innovate and reengineer so that you always have a constant advantage and are meeting the market versus dealing with several suppliers in the chain,” said Arun Kumar, managing director of AlixPartners’ automotive and industrial practice.

“Imagine that you’ve got all the engineering, design, marketing and sales figured out, but then you don’t have enough lithium-ion batteries to produce and sell those vehicles,” Kumar added. “If you fall two years behind, you’re as good as lost because then you’re going to struggle with trying to capture the market.”

Here’s a look at some of the major projects underway:

How digital health startups are navigating the post-Roe legal landscape

With the overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year, digital health and reproductive care startups bolstered their efforts to make abortion pills and emergency contraceptives more accessible. Now, as state laws shift and abortion bans go into effect across the United States, companies are still trying to find ways to provide care while reimagining what healthcare should include.

Following the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Roe, many leading organizations focused on reproductive medicine have spoken out against the ruling. “Decisions about healthcare, particularly reproductive healthcare, should be made by patients and physicians, not by interest groups, religious organizations, politicians, pundits, or Supreme Court justices,” said Marcelle Cedars, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Nationally, the situation is proving tricky to navigate as each state can begin implementing individualized abortion laws. By November, 26 states are expected to face near-total abortion bans.

For that reason, TechCrunch checked in with digital health startups to learn how they intend to continue to offer reproductive care despite an increasingly hostile legal environment.

What do demand and restrictions look like?

In wake of the decision, there has been a national surge in demand for emergency contraception like Plan B, also known as the “morning after pill.”

In Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, South Dakota and Tennessee, a pharmacist can refuse to dispense an emergency contraceptive if it conflicts with their religious beliefs. In some states, the medication is also excluded from what is considered mandatory contraceptive coverage, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

But digital health companies, which provide care virtually, claim they are better able to avoid these limitations.

3 indicators to watch for on Ford Q2 earnings day

While much of the automotive industry has suffered a downturn due to a lack of supply to meet pent-up demand, Ford has bucked the trend. At least, in terms of sales goals so far this year.

Industry wide, new vehicle sales in the U.S. dropped 20.3% for the second quarter, to 3.53 million, compared with the same period a year ago due to supply chain constraints that caused production bottlenecks. Ford was one of the few automakers to report a gain, with sales up 1.8% to 480,558 units. However, the growth was due to the strength of Ford’s trucks. Its new car sales fell 36%.

Now, with GM’s earnings report in the rearview, all eyes are on Ford’s second-quarter results to determine where the U.S. automaker stacks up and where it’s headed.

A slew of announcements in past six months provides some hints. Ford ticked numerous tasks off of its compete-on-the-global-EV stage to-do list. The automaker has taken steps to boost battery capacity and shore up its supply chain, announced plans to use lithium iron phosphate batteries for some of its vehicles and ramp up production of its new F-150 Lightning truck.

What analysts and TechCrunch will be watching out for 

Per data from Yahoo Finance, analysts expect that Ford generated Q2 2022 earnings of 45 cents per share off revenues of $34.3 billion. That’s a significant jump compared with the $26.8 billion in revenue and 13 cents per share Ford reported the same quarter a year ago, suggesting that the company is beginning to reap results from its $50 billion bet on EVs through mid-decade.

New models

Rivals from GM to Hyundai have unveiled new battery-electric models in recent weeks, but Ford has remained relatively mum on future offerings. Instead, it has been focused on ramping up capacity of its F-150 Lightning pickup, Mustang Mach-E SUV, and E-Transit commercial van.

We’ll be listening Wednesday for any guidance on the automaker’s plans for its future lineup. That includes a second electric pickup Ford CEO Jim Farley teased in April at the production launch of the F-150 Lightning.

Production

Ford and South Korea’s SK recently closed a deal to create an $11.4 billion joint venture to build and operate the Blue Oval City complex in Stanton, Tennessee, and two EV battery plants in Glendale, Kentucky. The Stanton site will build Ford’s battery-electric F-150 Lightning pickup, as well as the second, smaller pickup has Farley referenced.

The automaker reports strong demand for the Lightening. We’ll be looking for an update just how well those deliveries are going as well as more information on Ford’s plans to ramp up capacity. 

Raw materials

Like General Motors and other automakers, Ford is securing contracts with suppliers of the raw materials needed to make lithium-ion batteries. The company said it has sourced 70% of battery capacity to meet its 2026 global sales target of 2 million units.

Ford said that incorporating lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) batteries into its portfolio will help trim its materials cost by 10% to 15%. Unlike the prevailing nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) chemistry, LFP cuts dependence on scarce minerals such as nickel and cobalt.

The automaker will put its LFP battery packs into Mustang Mach-E SUVs in North America starting next year, followed by F-150 Lightning pickup trucks in early 2024.

We’ll be tuning in Wednesday for how Ford plans to use this alternate chemistry in its future EV lineup.

Why GM profits dropped 40% in the second quarter

General Motors said Tuesday it’s moving to take more control over its supply chain in response to a dismal second quarter that saw profits fall 40% year-over-year as it shifts more towards EVs.

The automaker reported second-quarter net income of $1.69 billion, a 40% reduction from the $2.84 billion it earned in the same year-ago period. GM blamed its weak performance on a drop in North American production due to supply chain disruptions and semiconductor chip shortages that caused bottlenecks at its factories.

GM reported $35.76 billion in second-quarter revenue, beating the $34.6 billion that analysts expected, but fell short of profit forecasts, reporting $1.14 per share versus $1.30.

Despite the supply chain pains, GM still affirmed its full-year guidance of between $9.6 billion and $11.2 billion in net income as it ramps up its EV production, including bringing new factories online. On an adjusted EBIT basis, GM is forecasting between $13 billion and $15 billion for the year.

GM won’t reach that target if its supply chain problems persist, a point GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra reiterated throughout the company’s second-quarter earnings call with analysts.

“Our number one goal right now is to get these battery plants up and get launched because there is such strong demand for the products,” Barra said, emphasizing that securing raw materials and localizing battery production will be two areas of focus.

Raw materials

Barra said the automaker signed a trio of binding agreements with suppliers to secure raw materials to make enough batteries to power its EVs. That includes partnerships with LG Chem for nearly a million tons of cathode material between now and 2030 and lithium-supplier Livent.

“What this means is GM now has binding agreement securing all battery raw materials supporting our goal of a million units in  new capacity in North America in 2025,” Barra said.

Battery production

GM is investing $7 billion with LG Energy to build four lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing plants through its Ultium Cells joint venture. Barra said the first factory is on track to open in Lordstown, Ohio, in August, followed by plants in Michigan, Tennessee, and an undisclosed fourth location. Ultium Cells received a $2.5 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy Monday to support the project.

“Our strategy is to control our own destiny,” Barra said. “Securing cells from this plant are key to significantly ramping up production of the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyriq to meet pent-up demand.”

3 indicators to watch for on GM Q2 earnings day

The auto industry’s woes are far from over, but the second half of the year represents a return to planning for the future rather than responding to short-term supply chain crises.

General Motors, which reports its second-quarter financial results Wednesday, is ready to roll into the third-quarter with an eye toward long-term strategy. The automotive juggernaut is building new battery plants, expanding the EV charging infrastructure, and gearing up to unveil the Cadillac Celestiq, the six-figure sedan that sets the tone for GM’s future electric models.

Still, GM faces intensifying competition from automakers worldwide putting billions of dollars behind their EV programs, as well as production bottlenecks and price uncertainties in the supply chain.

Overall, GM’s U.S. sales fell 15.4% in the second quarter, to 578,639, compared with the same period a year ago. Industry wide, new vehicle sales in the U.S. dropped 20.3% during the same period, to 3.53 million.

What analysts and TechCrunch will be watching out for 

Per data from Yahoo Finance, analysts expect GM to report profit of $1.30 per share on revenues of $34.6 billion in Q2 2022. GM reported a profit of $1.90 per share on revenues of $34.2 billion a year earlier.

Production

GM will likely provide an update on consumer demand for its EVs as it strives to launch 30 new EVs globally over the next couple years. The Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV are on sale, the GMC Hummer EV and BrightDrop EV600 have entered production, and the launch of the Cadillac Lyriq is imminent.

The Chevrolet Silverado EV begins production in early 2023, followed by the all-electric Chevrolet Blazer SS and Equinox EV.

We’ll be listening for GM’s plans to compete against the electrified models from Ford, Hyundai, Tesla and others.

Battery and EV assembly

GM said Monday it received a $2.5 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to build new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing plants with LG Energy over the next three years. The joint venture, Ultium Cells, plans to invest more than $7 billion to build factories in Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

GM’s earnings call with analysts Tuesday may provide updates on the project timeline and production volume, as well as what it means for GM’s forthcoming EVs. The first facility, in Lordstown, Ohio, is slated to open in August. The automaker will begin production at its plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, in late 2023, followed by a facility in Lansing, Michigan, in late 2024.

Cruise

The automaker is also likely to provide updates on its subsidiaries, including AV company Cruise, which became last month the first company to offer fared rides to the general public in a major city when it launched its autonomous robotaxi service in San Francisco.

Cruise said Monday it has begun rolling out an autonomous driving service in Dubai. It has dispatched a pair of Chevrolet Bolts to map the city, starting with the Jumeirah area, a residential strip along the beach. A launch is planned for 2023.

We’ll be listening for news on the Cruise Origin, as well as updates on GM’s Factory ZERO assembly plant, where the company’s purpose-built AV will be produced and GM’s BrightDrop e-delivery van subsidiary, which is busy filling an order from Walmart, the nation’s biggest retailer, for 5,000 vans.

 

 

Ford adds battery capacity, LFP chemistry to scale global EV business

Ford said Thursday it has shored up its battery supply chain as part of its global strategy to sell more than 2 million EVs annually by 2026.

The automaker, which is investing $50 billion to scale its battery-electric portfolio through 2026, said it plans to boost battery capacity, shorten its supply chain and use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for some of its EVs. LFP batteries are a less expensive cell chemistry growing in popularity among automakers competing for share in the burgeoning EV segment.

Ford said the moves will help it remain on track to meet its short-term goal of ramping up EV production to 600,000 units by 2023 and 2 million units by 2026. The company said it has sourced 70% of battery capacity to meet its 2026 sales target so far.

Meeting its EV production goals could require about 8,000 job cuts, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg.

Executives did not address layoffs directly during a briefing with analysts and media Thursday  but said that speed and agility is crucial for Ford’s battery-electric Model e division. Cutting out bureaucracy means they can close deals in days, rather than months, said Lisa Drake, vice president of EV industrialization at Ford Model e.

“Believe it or not to move fast in this space. smaller is better,” she said. “A smaller team can move faster than a larger team.”

Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries

Ford said it will begin incorporating LFP batteries into its portfolio while continuing to use the nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) chemistry currently powering its EVs. As the cheaper alternative, LFP presents a potential path for the mass EV market, according to analysts.

CATL, the world’s largest battery supplier, will provide LFP battery packs for Ford Mustang Mach-E SUVs in North America starting next year, followed by F-150 Lightning pickup trucks in early 2024.

LFP batteries provide longer range than NCM but are less powerful due to their lower energy density. The chemistry may seem a puzzling choice to underpin two of Ford’s most muscular models, but “these standard-range batteries offer customers many years of operation with minimal loss of range after many charge cycles,” Drake said. “That benefits owners who need to charge often, like our commercial customers.”

Using LFP will help reduce Ford’s reliance on scarce critical minerals such as nickel and cobalt, while trimming 10 to 15% from its battery materials costs, according to Drake.

The company declined to say how many of its EVs will use LFP chemistry but said it has signed non-binding MOUs with lithium suppliers Liontown Resources and Rio Tinto.

Battery suppliers

Ford also said it has upped its contracts with NCM battery suppliers in order to meet its late-2023 production target. LG Energy will double its NCM battery capacity to supply  Ford’s Mach-E and E-Transit van.

SK On has increased production at its Georgia facility to supply Ford with more NCM cells and will supply additional battery packs from its factory in Hungary to power the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit through late 2023.

That’s in addition to the deal Ford and SK On closed last week to create an $11.4 billion joint venture to build and operate the Blue Oval City complex in Stanton, Tennessee, and two EV battery plants in Glendale, Kentucky.

Ford also announced Thursday a non-binding agreement with CATL to explore partnering on LFP batteries in Chinese and European markets. 

Raw Materials

As Ford scales its EV production, it must reinvent its supply chain by sourcing raw battery materials directly, according to executives.

“Battery cell manufacturing capacity is the foundation of our EV business,” Drake said. “We have direct-sourced our lithium and nickel to scale battery production more quickly and keep the volumes and the cost more stable over time.”

The automaker said Thursday it has sourced most of the nickel it needs through 2026 and that it has signed non-binding MOUs with mining partners including Vale Canada, PT Vale Indonesia, Huayou Cobalt and BHP.

Apple Music Sessions launches with country stars Carrie Underwood and Tenille Townes

Apple is introducing a new perk for Apple Music subscribers, Apple Music Sessions, which gives listeners access to exclusive releases in spatial audio that have been recorded in Apple’s music studios around the world. The performances are also filmed, providing subscribers with companion live music videos.

The sessions offer musicians the opportunity to recreate hits from their catalog and cover classic songs for listeners to enjoy.

Country fans will especially appreciate today’s launch as Apple Music released a short selection of tracks from country singers Carrie Underwood and Tenille Townes. The initial two artists were both recorded in Apple Music’s studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

Carrie Underwood has 25 CMT Music Awards, the most-awarded artist in the award show’s history. For her Apple Music Session, Underwood performed two of her own songs, “Ghost Story” and “Blown Away,” plus a cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home.”

Tenille Townes is a rising country music artist, most recognized for her hit song “Somebody’s Daughter.” She performed the song along with “Same Road Home” for her Apple Music Session. Townes also covered “At Last” by Etta James.

Country music singers Ronnie Dunn and Ingrid Andres are lined up next to release sessions, Apple announced. The company plans to have more artists in the future and expand Apple Music Sessions into other genres.

Apple has been steadily adding features and exclusive experiences in order to garner more subscribers for its music service.

In 2020, Apple rolled out At Home Sessions with artists such as Arlo Parks reworking three of her tracks in the comfort of her own home. Apple Music Sessions seems to be a step-up from this, inviting artists into professional studios and recording songs with spatial audio technology.

Just a few months ago, Apple debuted Apple Music Live, a new concert live-streaming series with top artists such as Harry Styles.

This April, Apple Music added DJ mixes in spatial audio with Dolby Atmos. It also rolled out a Siri-only music plan late last year.

The company is also looking to entice new subscribers by focusing on catering to particular interests. For example, Apple acquired classical music service Primephonic last year to expand its music offering for Apple Music classical fans. The acquisition of Primephonic is believed to be for Apple’s new classical music app expected to launch in 2022 with “visual, audial, and haptic” aspects for a distinct listening experience.

Notch will sell you insurance in case your Instagram gets hacked

Getting hacked sucks. It’s even worse if you’re a digital creator whose social media accounts literally pay your bills. When creators get hacked, it can mean that they aren’t able to post sponsored content, earn payments from badges or operate their Instagram shops — it’s debilitating, like if a chef broke their arm and had to cook with one hand.

The Israel-based startup Notch is trying to see if insuring creators against Instagram hacks could offer a solution. Starting at $8 a month, creators can sign up for Notch’s Instagram account insurance, which means that if they get hacked and lose access to their account, the startup will pay them a stipend and help them regain control of their page.

TechCrunch reviewed a sample insurance policy, which quoted a $459 annual fee (or about $38 a month) for insurance that pays out $244 for each day that a creator can’t get into their account after a hack. These daily reimbursements kick in after a 48 hour waiting period and max out at $22,000 (or 90 days) of payments per year.

Notch uses a number of metrics to determine the nature of a creator’s policy.

“We look at the follower count, engagement, where the audience is from, the vertical where the influencer works, how many posts per month that person usually uploads, how many of them are sponsored posts…” CEO Rafael Broshi explains. With that information, Notch can estimate how much sponsored content a creator posts a month, and how much money someone of their caliber would make off of each post. Then, the company can calculate a monthly fee for coverage.

This isn’t an exact science, though — not all influencers are created equal, and the same level of followers or engagement may translate differently across various audiences. Plus, there’s no standardized base pay for a brand deal so it’s possible Notch might over- or underestimate a creator’s income.

A key feature of the policy is that it only covers hacks. Some creators, especially those from marginalized communities, face targeted harassment on Instagram, which sometimes means that bad actors will mass-report their account for no reason, causing them to get banned or suspended. In these cases, whether a ban is deserved or not, Notch will not cover a creator’s loss of income. 

“We’ll probably issue an add-on to the policy in the near future, which covers suspensions as well,” Broshi said. “We don’t currently cover those things, mainly because it’s very, very difficult to really build a product that provides value […] That’s why we went towards the hacking part, where we believe we will be able to help.”

Notch is not affiliated with Instagram, but Broshi says that this is normal for insurance companies.

“Car insurance companies don’t usually have any connection to the car manufacturer,” he told TechCrunch. Currently, the product is available in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee and Texas — each state has different regulations regarding insurance products, so approval in any individual state will be a different process.

To be eligible for these payouts, creators need to turn on mutli-factor authentication (MFA). But many types of MFA exist, and the policy doesn’t offer more specifics. Some cybersecurity experts advise against using SMS texts as a second layer of security, since a SIM swapping hack (someone impersonating you to your phone carrier to take over your SIM card) could render you powerless against fraudulent log-in attempts.

Insurance policies aside, it’s always a good time to take extra steps to protect your online security and digital privacy, especially if you’re someone whose income is directly tied to your internet presence. Notch doesn’t want you to get hacked because then they’d have to pay you, but you also don’t want to get hacked because… it would suck. Speaking of which, don’t even try to engineer a fake hack to get your daily payout — Notch’s contract prohibits it.

So far, Notch has raised $7 million in an extended seed round led by Lightspeed Ventures. Longtime creators like Nas Daily and Casey Neistat are investors as well, which is an important vote of confidence for the company, since none of its founders have experience working in the creator economy. Of the three founders, Broshi is a former investor, CPO Elool Jacoby was a senior product manager at SimilarWeb and CTO Yuval Peled was a software engineer.

Notch only just launched this month, so we haven’t yet witnessed how they may be able to help a creator through a hack. But before launch, Notch helped some creators with account retrieval, which is why there are testimonials on the company’s website.

As with any startup, you don’t want to be the guinea pig — but, for big enough creators, a monthly payment could be worth the peace of mind it brings.

3 Predictions for Ford’s Q1 earnings

Ford’s onslaught of electric truck news this week seems calculated to lay claim to the profitable segment – and overshadow a new General Motors rival – ahead of its first-quarter financial results Wednesday.

On Monday, the automaker announced the production launch of the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck, a full-sized version of its popular gas-engine F-150 pickup. The next day, during a live-streamed party to celebrate the F-150 Lightning, CEO Jim Farley revealed that a second, unnamed electric truck is on the way.

The timing of Ford’s announcement may be no coincidence, given that GM was hours from highlighting the all-electric version of its Chevrolet Silverado pickup at its own quarterly earnings call with analysts.

That, and the $50 billion Ford has invested in going electric, is a clear sign of the automaker’s commitment to becoming a volume leader in EVs while continuing to dominate the pickup truck market.

What analysts and TechCrunch will be watching out for 

Per data from Yahoo Finance, analysts expect that Ford generated Q1 2022 earnings of 37 cents per share off revenues of $31.2 billion. That’s a significant dip compared with the $36.2 billion in revenue and 89 cents per share Ford reported the same quarter a year ago.

Ford’s first-quarter U.S. sales dropped 17.4%, due to industry wide pressures on the global supply chain and ability to produce enough cars to meet demand.

Restructuring

Ford completed a historic restructuring in March, spinning off its fledgling EV business from its combustion unit. The EV unit is called Ford Model-e, and the combustion business Ford Blue.

Wall Street applauded Ford’s decision to reorganize operations and will be listening to the earnings call for planning updates from the new management team.

“We believe investors may be very surprised at the strong levels of cash flows from the ‘Ford Blue’ business, and the pace of investment into the cash consuming EV business for the next 3 to 5 years,” Morgan Stanley autos analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a recent report.

F-150 Lightning

The F-150 pickup truck has been the stalwart of Ford’s portfolio for the last 45 years, serving as America’s best-selling truck —  and, for almost all of those years, the country’s best-selling vehicle, too. However, its annual lead over the Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 has narrowed recently, prompting Ford’s aggressive efforts to promote its trucks this week.

Ford spent more than $1 billion to design, develop, and build the all-electric F-150 Lightning, but the 10-figure bet seems likely to pay off. The F-150 nameplate alone has the potential push Ford far ahead of rivals such as GM and Rivian, especially since the Silverado EV won’t go into production until next year and Rivian’s trucks are higher-priced, niche vehicles.

Success hinges on Ford’s efforts to position its battery-electric truck to appeal to its traditional F-150 customer base. So far, demand for the Lightning, which will be assembled at Ford’s Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan, has compelled Ford to double its planned annual production run to 150,000 vehicles.

We’ll be tuning in to hear more about where, when, and how many of the Lightning trucks will be built as we look for evidence behind Ford CEO Jim Farley’s claim that the Ford-150 Lightning is a “Model T” moment.

Second electric truck

CEO Farley’s on-stage announcement that Ford will build a second electric truck just as Lightning starts rolling off the line was unexpected among enthusiasts and industry watchers. However, the teaser left much to the imagination.

Farley didn’t provide details on the new model, but it’s likely to be smaller than the F-150 Lightning full-size pickup. He did say that it will be built at Ford’s new $5.6 billion BlueOval City manufacturing complex in Stanton, Tennessee.

We will be tuning in for any detail on the truck’s price, range, name, or arrival date Ford might share, and we’ll be sure to provide any info made available right here on TechCrunch.