Ford Races Ahead with BEV Investment
Ford has accelerated to the front of the electrified pack with a whopping investment in both BEV and battery production in the US.
This week it pledged itself to a $11.4bn investment to get consumers into zero-emission cars and pickups while also promising to build its biggest ever factory in Tennessee and two battery parks in Kentucky. The BBC reports that the automaker said its Tennessee factory, called Blue Oval City, will cover a six-square-mile area and build next-generation electric pickup trucks and batteries from 2025 and creating about 11,000 new jobs.
Ford has already ramped up investment in EV production at its Texas and Michigan plants. It said it would be making the new investments in partnership with Korea’s battery maker, SK Innovation.
In a statement, Jim Farley, Ford’s president and chief executive, said: “This is our moment, our biggest investment ever, to help build a better future for America. We are moving now to deliver breakthrough electric vehicles for the many rather than the few.”
— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_
