September 30, 2021 - The shift towards electric vehicles is more prevalent than ever with many companies wanting to get in the game. But Ford is leading the way with their announcement of major investments to lead that shift.
Ford Motor Company has announced they are investing $11.4 billion into a "mega campus" in Tennessee with twin battery plants in Kentucky. With this $11.4 billion investment Ford will be creating 11,000 new jobs. The Tennessee campus will be producing 6,000 jobs while the Kentucky plant will generate around 5,000 jobs.
Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford said, “This is a transformative moment where Ford will lead America’s transition to electric vehicles and usher in a new era of clean, carbon-neutral manufacturing. With this investment and a spirit of innovation, we can achieve goals once thought mutually exclusive – protect our planet, build great electric vehicles Americans will love and contribute to our nation’s prosperity.”
The Tennessee plant, which will be called Blue Oval City, will focus their attention on how vehicles and their batteries are manufactured and how they can improve the process. Blue Oval City's plant is planned to be carbon neutral with zero waste once it becomes 100% operational. With the focus on innovation and building next generation electric F- series trucks the hope is that this will expand the electric truck lineup in the future.
“This is our moment – our biggest investment ever – to help build a better future for America,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “We are moving now to deliver breakthrough electric vehicles for the many rather than the few. It’s about creating good jobs that support American families, an ultra-efficient, carbon-neutral manufacturing system, and a growing business that delivers value for communities, dealers and shareholders.”
“Blue Oval City’s assembly plant will harness Ford’s global manufacturing expertise and cutting-edge technologies to deliver cost efficiencies and the quality that our customers expect,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, Americas & International Markets Group.
The Kentucky plant (BlueOvalSK), a $5.8 billion investment which is set to open in 2025, will be solely dedicated to manufacturing batteries for next generation Lincoln and Ford vehicles. Commenting on the announcement, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said, "We thank Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation for their investment in Team Kentucky. This is the single largest investment in the history of our state and this project solidifies our leadership role in the future of the automotive manufacturing industry. It will transform our economy, creating a better Kentucky, with more opportunities, for our families for generations. Our economy is on fire – or maybe it’s electric. Our time is now. Our future is now.”
Along with Ford's investments in Tennessee and Kentucky, Ford also announced the company will be investing $90 million in Texas and $525 million total throughout the United States to train technicians.
With these investments it is clear Ford understands that the way of the future is electric and the company plans to serve a leading role in realizing that future - producing electric vehicles that are cost efficient and beneficial to the environment.
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