As Ford invests $50 billion in EVs over the coming years, the automaker is also working with a host of suppliers from around the globe and aims to replace lithium-ion batteries with lithium-iron phosphate units – all in an effort to overcome numerous supply chain issues and reduce costs. Meanwhile, FoMoCo is also working on erecting the new Ford BlueOval City and Ford BlueOval Battery Park in Tennessee and Kentucky, though those won’t be the only places where it builds new EV plants. In fact, the latest such facility – Ford BlueOval Battery Park Michigan – has officially been announced.
The new Marshall, Michigan-based plant is part of a partnership with Chinese EV manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), which has been looking for a location to build a facility in North America for some time now. That search included the state of Virginia, but Governor Glenn Youngkin rejected those plans – citing the company’s Chinese roots – nixing a $3.5 billion dollar facility that was reportedly set to employ around 2,500 people. That decision drew criticism from Youngkin’s Democratic counterpart, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has been clear that her state was more than willing to play host to the future Ford EV battery plant and was reportedly “aggressively pursuing” the project.
Now, those efforts have paid off, as the new Ford BlueOval Battery Park Michigan – as it’s officially called – will become the very first LFP battery plant in the U.S. Production is slated to begin in 2026, at which time the plant will employ upwards of 2,500 people, as expected, with room to grow in the future as well. As Ford points out, LFP batteries are less expensive to produce than lithium-ion units, and making them in the U.S. reduces shipping and import costs while also taking advantage of tax breaks brought forth by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which should make future Ford EVs more affordable.
The new plant will add 35 gigawatt hours per year of new battery capacity for FoMoCo in the U.S. initially, which is enough to power approximately 400,000 future Ford EVs. As expected, Ford will manufacture the battery cells there using LFP battery cell knowledge
and services provided by CATL, while engineers will integrate these LFP battery cells into the automaker’s vehicles.
“We are committed to leading the electric vehicle revolution in America, and that means investing in the technology and jobs that will keep us on the cutting edge of this global transformation in our industry,” said Bill Ford, Ford executive chair. “I am also proud that we chose our home state of Michigan for this critical battery production hub.”
We’ll have more on this new Ford EV battery plant soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
Go M! Go Blue!
Late friend of my late father was Mayor of Marshall, it’s a lovely old town with a century old roundabout downtown.
I think dad’s friend would be pleased at this news.
PS If you visit, eat at Schuler’s and try their Bar Scheeze and crackers as it’s delicious!
The Chinese balloons are scoping out battery plants, not a future attack. I feel better.
The China Balloons have no place in and over North America, and it was right to shoot them down. Just one more way China disrespects the USA. The China Flu, China Covid and now snooping around in North America! Lock down and keep China out of our country until they learn how to respect our culture and our country!!!
OK,Little Trump.
Our country needs to wean its of off of partnering with China until China respects the rules for competition & quits threatening its competitors including us. Ford obviously does not see it that way.
Gigantic mistake for Ford to partner with China on any project. They are the enemy and we need to recede from connections to China period.
LoL in this case, the know-how and IP technology transfer is coming from China to Ford.
Henry Ford supported Hitler and had interests in manufacturing facilities in Germany. Companies have their own cultural leanings.
God the GQP babies and bath water FUD is strong in this comment section.