Ford will stop taking new orders of its Maverick compact pickup truck until the summer due to the overwhelming demand for the vehicles, a spokesperson confirmed. The decision comes as the auto industry faces a global microchip shortage, a supply chain crisis, and rising prices, driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, although the Michigan-headquartered Ford spokesperson did not cite any specific production issues with the Maverick. “There’s been overwhelming demand for Maverick—both hybrid and EcoBoost,” said Ford spokesperson Mike Levine in a statement to The Detroit News. “We’re making the decision to stop taking new retail orders on the 2022 Ford Maverick starting after January 27 to focus on existing orders. Customers may still be able to purchase a Maverick on the lot at their local Ford dealer. We’ll kick off ordering for the 2023 Maverick starting in the summer,” Levine said. New vehicles sales in the United States hit an average price …