Feb. 15, 2023–Ford is planning to build a new $3.5 billion factory in Michigan to help create affordable batteries for electric vehicles, ABC News reports.
The new plant was announced Monday at a meeting of the Michigan Strategic Fund and will be located “on land being readied for industrial development about 100 miles west of Detroit,” near the city of Marshall. It would start making batteries as soon as 2026 and employ “at least 2,500 people.”
The factory would be using “lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry” to create their batteries, which would save more money than “the current nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry now used in many EV batteries.” Standard-range versions of Ford vehicles will be receiving the LFP battery, with long-range vehicles retaining the nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry.
Lisa Drake, vice president of industrialization for Ford’s electric vehicles, believes that this will help reduce costs, as currently all lithium-iron-phosphate batteries in use are imported.
“This project is aimed at de-risking that by actually building out the capacity and capability to scale this technology in the United States,” Drake said.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the new factory will provide “generational opportunities” for families in west Michigan and will “make sure that production lines aren't stalled by global shocks or shipping delays."
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