America’s second-largest automobile manufacturer took a major step today in the movie toward the manufacture of electric vehicles (EVs).
Key Details
- Ford has broken ground today on a $5.6 billion mega campus production plant in West Tennessee.
- “Ford officially has broken ground at BlueOval City, its largest, most advanced auto production complex in the company’s 119-year history,” says Ford.
- The facility is designed to help advance Ford’s push toward electric vehicle production and will focus on electric trucks and batteries.
- “The project is being supported by an $884 million incentive program from the state of Tennessee and is expected to create an additional 21,000 indirect jobs,” says Fox Business.
- “The site, which is nearly six square miles, is no longer just a big vacant plot in Tennessee,” says Detroit Free Press.
Why it’s news
The construction of the site is a major one for Ford, which is hoping to push forward electric vehicle production at a rate of 2 million per year by 2026. The two new plants in development will help it accomplish its goals of meeting the demand for EV production in the future.
“This facility is the blueprint for Ford’s future manufacturing facilities and will enable Ford to help lead America’s shift to electric vehicles,” says Ford director Eric Grubb.
“The factory will build a next-generation F-Series electric pickup that’s different than the current F-150 Lightning,” says Fox Business.
The company announced new plants in Tennessee and Kentucky last September and construction partners have been preparing the land since March.
Backing up a bit
As we previously reported, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act on August 16, which sets aside $369 billion for investing in climate change solutions. Automotive manufacturers are following in the president’s goal of gas-powered car sales by 50% in 2030 and 100% by 2035.
Dodge has already unveiled a concept for its first muscle electric vehicle. Other auto manufacturers are making preparations to convert their productions to EVs.
