US auto producer Ford introduced Monday that it’s going to construct a brand new $3.5 billion battery plant in Michigan, diversifying its battery choices with know-how from a Chinese language firm because it boosts electrical automobile manufacturing.
Ford Chairman Invoice Ford and different firm brass joined Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer at an occasion to tout the enterprise, which includes a partnership with Chinese language agency Modern Amperex Know-how Co.
Whitmer, a Democrat, touted the announcement as “one other win for Michigan,” citing the addition of two,500 new manufacturing jobs.
Ford had beforehand thought-about siting the manufacturing facility in Virginia, however the thought was nixed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin in a transfer that was seen as an indication of Youngkin’s ambitions to enter the 2024 Republican presidential race.
Ford mentioned the Marshall, Michigan challenge—positioned about 100 miles west of Detroit—will diversify the corporate’s battery profile away from its present unique use of nickel cobalt manganese (NCM), that are pricey to provide due to uncooked materials shortage.
At Marshall, Ford will manufacture lithium iron phosphate batteries starting in 2026. The know-how includes cheaper uncooked supplies and may tolerate extra frequent and quicker charging than NCM batteries, the corporate mentioned.
Below the connection with Modern Amperex, a wholly-owned Ford subsidiary would manufacture the battery cells utilizing lithium iron phosphate battery cell data and providers offered by Modern Amperex, Ford mentioned.
The auto large is concentrating on annual international output of 600,000 electrical automobiles by end-2023 and two million by the top of 2026.
“Ford’s electrical automobile lineup has generated enormous demand,” mentioned Chief Government Jim Farley.
He added that to get as many electrical automobiles to clients as potential, Ford was the “first automaker to commit” to constructing each varieties of batteries in america.
