Keeping up with the production of the U.S.’ most popular pickup truck is no small feat. As demand for the Ford F-150 soars and supply remains quite low, the American carmaker has had to get creative. To make sure everyone gets their 2021 F-150 on time, stockpiles of the truck have popped up across the country. According to The Detroit Free Press reported by Motor1, Ford is finalizing the assembly of vital components out on parking lots.

Why are these Ford F-150’s in parking lots?

Demand for the Ford F-150 has always been quite high. However, as COVID-19 put a strain on new trucks’ production, the overall supply has dwindled slightly. Add on to that the introduction of an all-new 2021 model, and Ford was in a bit of a tough spot. As a result, Motor1 reports that the carmaker began producing the truck before testing was finalized and even delayed the truck’s release. This was a smart move as Motor1 reports that the 2021 trucks don’t last very long on dealer lots after arriving.

The Detroit Free Press reports that the American carmaker began stockpiling hundreds of trucks in a parking lot near its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Detroit. Additionally, some of these trucks have also been spotted outside of the Kansas City Assembly Plant. The official reasoning revolves around the final stages of production. According to Motor1, assembly plant workers are installing the seatbelts on these Ford F-150’s outside.

On top of that, the workers check in on the software and other electronic components to ensure everything is manufactured correctly. Strangely, The Detroit Free Press reports that his current parking lot situation is not directly related to COVID-19 shortages. Instead, this situation is related to truck quality checks.

When will these trucks reach customers?

Thankfully for future Ford F-150 customers, these parking lot trucks are on their way out. The Detroit Free Press reports that assembly has been moving quickly and that the number of trucks is quickly dwindling. It seems as this operation begins to wrap up, the trucks are then being transported to dealerships to be sold.

It is worth noting that having your Ford F-150 finished in the plant’s parking lot is not a bad thing. In fact, The Detroit Free Press reports that this is happening to ensure a high-quality batch of trucks. This is important as these trucks were some of the very first produced. When you consider all of the tech features available in the 2021 model, these additional checks make a ton of sense. Given how well the model sells, having a software issue could potentially affect many trucks.

Why is demand for trucks so high?

According to CNBC, a few factors are driving the demand for trucks sky high. Given the popularity of the Ford F-150, demand is almost always high with many buyers in the market. As COVID-19 hit and production slowed down, there were fewer trucks available. CNBC reports that this shot up the price of used trucks, sometimes costing more than new ones.

As the global pandemic roars on, buyers who previously rely on public transportation turn to trucks like the F-150. As a result, enormous carmakers such as GM have recently invested heavily in production. This would, in theory, allow the carmakers to keep up with demand.