Dubbed BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, the new battery facility is expected to initially add nearly 35 gigawatt hours per year of new battery capacity for the US-based automaker in the country
Ford Motor announces an investment of $3.5bn in Michigan to develop a LFP battery plant. (Credit: The Ford Motor Company)
Ford Motor is set to invest $3.5bn to develop a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Marshall, Michigan, the US.
Dubbed BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, the new battery facility is expected to initially add nearly 35 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year of new battery capacity for the US-based automaker in the country.
The additional capacity will be sufficient to power about 400,000 future Ford electric vehicles (EV).
Ford Motor expects to commence the production of LFP batteries at the plant in 2026.
The BlueOval Battery Park Michigan is also expected to initially employ 2,500 people when battery production starts.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said: “Ford’s $3.5bn investment creating 2,500 good-paying jobs in Marshall building electric vehicle batteries will build on Michigan’s economic momentum.
“Today’s generational investment by an American icon will uplift local families, small businesses, and the entire community and help our state continue leading the future of mobility and electrification.
“Let’s continue bringing the supply chain of electric vehicles, chips, and batteries home while creating thousands of good-paying jobs and revitalising every region of our state.”
According to Ford Motor, the LFP batteries are durable and can withstand more frequent and faster charging while utilising less materials.
By using these lower-cost batteries at scale, the automotive company expects to further reduce the EVs’ costs for customers.
As part of the company’s goal to invest more than $50bn in EVs globally through 2026, Ford and its battery technology partners have committed an investment of $17.6bn in EV and battery production in the US since 2019.
Ford Motor executive chair Bill Ford said: “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.
“I am also proud that we chose our home state of Michigan for this critical battery production hub.” In December last year, Ford Motor forged a new agreement with Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), under which the plant would produce the battery cells using CATL’s LFP battery cell expertise and services.