Ford Invests $11.4 Billion For Innovative New Electric Vehicle Plants In 2 U.S. States

EcoWatch

Welcome to the new world of modern technology. People have become reliant on this when it comes to the production of a variety of items – from food, to gadgets, and yes, to cars. And while there are several popular brands of transportation out there, Ford has remained a constant since its inception.

Right now, the company is planning to make big changes as a way to move forward. This is good news to vehicle afficionados out there. More importantly, this big move will also make significant impact on the lives of many Americans.

Ford just announced to the world that the company is spending a whopping $11.4 billion. The money has been allotted to the building of two new factories in Tennessee and Kentucky that are designed to manufacture batteries and its electric F-series pickup trucks.

With this giant move, Ford will be able to create over 11,000 jobs. In fact, the Tennessee factory will be the company’s largest ever as well as its first new American vehicle-assembly plant in decades. 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.”


This news comes because of the latest high demand for the all-new Ford F-150 Lightning truck, E-Transit, and Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles. This goes with Ford’s recent announcement to expand production capacity and more importantly, to add more jobs at the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center found in Dearborn, Michigan. Jim Farley, the company’s president and CEO stated,  “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. 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’s impressive $7 billion investment is considered the largest ever manufacturing investment at one time, and this is among the many automotive manufacturers found in the U.S. This is actually a part of their more-than-$30 billion investment in electric vehicles that stretches until 2025. This sizeable investment serves as a structure for the company’s longer-term goal. They want to create a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to hasten its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality. This aim is backed by science-based targets that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Generally, the company expects around 40 percent to 50 percent of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by the year 2030.

“We are proud to be partnering with Ford as they open a new chapter in automobile history,” shared Dongseob Jee, the president of battery business SK Innovation. He further said, “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.”

 

The All-New Ford Blue Oval City

Ford has had the vision of how electric vehicles and the batteries that power them are designed, manufactured, and recycled. Hence, they have opted to create an all-new electric vehicle manufacturing ecosystem that serves this very purpose. In fact, Blue Oval City will be one of the largest auto manufacturing campuses in history of America. Like the awe-inspiring Rouge complex found in Michigan that was done a century earlier, Blue Oval City will bring in a new era for manufacturing style in the U.S.

The city is a 3,600-acre campus that spans nearly six square miles. In it, the building will cover vehicle assembly, battery production. and a supplier park in a vertically integrated system. The design was made to be cost-efficient as it minimizes the carbon footprint of the entire manufacturing process. The assembly plant will make sue of always-on cloud-connected technologies to drive ample improvements in terms of quality and productivity.

This is their mega campus that was specifically made to add more sustainability solutions. Included here will be the potential to utilization of local renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, and wind power. “West Tennessee is primed to deliver the workforce and quality of life needed to create the next great American success story with Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation,” shared Bill Lee, Tennessee Governor. “This is a watershed moment for Tennesseans as we lead the future of the automotive industry and advanced manufacturing.”

The project will create around 6,000 jobs. Thus, Blue Oval City will be the mothership of technical innovation designed to build the next-generation electric F-Series trucks. This opportunity for development will also allow Ford to reach new clients with an expanded electric truck lineup.


Goal: Bigger Sssembly plant, Smaller Environmental Impact

While it comes in a sizeable lot with an equally big building, the assembly plant that is at Blue Oval City is designed to have as very little impact on the surrounding environment. In fact, the design may even generate positive impacts on the surroundings. Their ultimate goal is to have a regenerative impact on the local environment through the help of biomimicry in the design of the facility.

From the very beginning of production in 2025, their goal is for the assembly plant to be carbon neutral. This will be made possible with the on-site wastewater treatment plant. With it, the assembly plant aims to generate zero freshwater withdrawals for assembly processes. This will be made possible as they incorporate water reuse and recycling systems. Zero-waste-to-landfill processes will catch materials and production scrap at the on-site materials collection center to segregate and direct materials for recycling or processing either at the plant or at off-site facilities. These will all happen once the plant is fully operating.

Right now, Ford is collaborating with Redwood Materials. They are a leading battery materials company. The merge will make sure that the company makes electric vehicles that are more sustainable and affordable by localizing the supply chain network, creating recycling options for scrap and end-of-life vehicles, and bolster lithium-ion recycling.

BlueOvalSK Battery Park

Along with the company’s electric manufacturing revolution is a planned $5.8 billion, 1,500-acre BlueOvalSK battery manufacturing campus to be built in Glendale, Kentucky. This is set to open in 2025. For this, the twin co-located plants will be more than able to produce up to 43 gigawatt hours each for a total of 86 gigawatt hours on a yearly basis. Together, these U.S.-made batteries will power the next-generation electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

Bringing 5,000 new jobs to Kentucky, BlueOvalSK Battery Park will be centrally located. They do so in order to support the North American assembly plants’ footprint. “We thank Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation for their investment in Team Kentucky,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “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 time is now. Our future is now.”

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