Ford to Invest $11.4 B on EV Production in the US

Michigan-headquartered multinational automaker Ford, along with its South Korean partner SK Innovation, plans to invest $11.4 billion electric vehicle production, creating nearly 11,000 new jobs at the Tennessee and Kentucky mega-sites. This will be the largest ever U.S. investment in EVs at one time by any automotive manufacturer, said the company. While Ford is stumping up $7 billion, SK Innovation will bring in the remaining $4.4 billion.

The new plants will produce the next generation of electric F-Series trucks and the batteries to power future electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles, and production could start by 2025.

An all-new $5.6 billion mega campus in Stanton, Tenn., called Blue Oval City, will create approximately 6,000 new jobs and reimagine how vehicles and batteries are manufactured, says the firm.

Blue Oval City will become a vertically integrated ecosystem for Ford to assemble an expanded lineup of electric F-Series vehicles and will include a BlueOvalSK battery plant, key suppliers and recycling. Ford’s new Tennessee assembly plant is designed to be carbon neutral with zero waste to landfill once fully operational.

In central Kentucky, Ford plans to build a dedicated battery manufacturing complex with SK Innovation – the $5.8 billion BlueOvalSK Battery Park – creating 5,000 jobs. Twin battery plants on the site are intended to supply Ford’s North American assembly plants with locally assembled batteries for powering next-generation electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Investments in the new Tennessee and Kentucky battery plants are planned to be made via BlueOvalSK, a new joint venture to be formed by Ford and SK Innovation, subject to definitive agreements, regulatory approvals and other conditions.

“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.”

Ford recently announced the expansion of its production capacity and jobs at the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich.

Part of Ford’s more-than-$30 billion investment in electric vehicles through 2025, Ford’s $7 billion investment supports the company’s longer-term goal to create a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem.

Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.

“We are proud to be partnering with Ford as they open a new chapter in automobile history,” said Dongseob Jee, president of battery business, SK Innovation. “We are excited to be taking this decisive leap together, as partners, and to bring about our common vision for a cleaner planet. Our joint venture, BlueOvalSK, will embody this spirit of collaboration. We look forward to growing our trust-based partnership by delivering on our market-leading value proposition, experience and cutting-edge expertise.”