Blue Oval City: Ford to Invest $11.4B to Create 11,000 Jobs and Power New Lineup of Advanced EVs
Blue Oval City will be the largest, most advanced, most efficient auto production complex in the 118-year history of Ford.
Ford is putting its money where its mouth is and proving that it wants to be the leader in electric vehicles. Certainly, the F-150 Lightning is a step in the right direction. But only a small step. Ford is making a major push to produce electric vehicles. The latest announcement is the biggest yet as it pertains to the electric future that Ford envisions. Ford will be building a new complex called Blue Oval City. The complex will be constructed on a nearly 6-square-mile site in west Tennessee and build next-generation electric F-Series pickups and advanced batteries. There will also be a new BlueOvalSK Battery Park built in central Kentucky consisting of twin battery plants that will power a new lineup of Ford and Lincoln EVs. To say this indicates a major shift towards electric would be an understatement.
The total investment is expected to be $11.4B and will create nearly 11,000 new jobs. Approximately 6,000 jobs are expected in Stanton, Tennessee. A further 5,000 jobs will be created in Glendale, Kentucky. Production of the new electric vehicles and advanced lithium-ion batteries will begin in 2025. If there was ever any doubt about how serious Ford is about the EV future, this should erase it. This will be the largest ever U.S. investment in electric vehicles at one time by any automotive manufacturer. “This is our moment – our biggest investment ever – to help build a better future for America,” said Jim Farley, Ford president, and CEO. “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.”
Blue Oval City
The campus will cover 3,600 acres and will include vehicle assembly, battery production, and a supplier park. “The assembly plant will use always-on cloud-connected technologies to drive vast improvements in quality and productivity. The mega campus is designed to add more sustainability solutions, including the potential to use local renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, and wind power.” This may be the most advanced city we have ever seen in history. “Blue Oval City’s assembly plant will harness Ford’s global manufacturing expertise and cutting-edge technologies to deliver cost efficiencies and the quality that our customers expect,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, Americas & International Markets Group. “This will enable Ford to lead in the race to bring dependable, affordable, and advanced electric vehicles to even more Americans.” That is the real key here, the EV needs to have a broader appeal and be more accessible to more people.
Environmentally Friendly
Blue Oval City is massive but do not expect to see rows of buildings with smokestacks spewing black smoke into the air. This campus is designed to not only have a minimal environmental impact, but to even have a positive impact. There will be an on-site wastewater treatment plant. The assembly plant aspires to make zero freshwater withdrawals for assembly. It will incorporate water reuse and recycling systems to make that happen. Furthermore, there is a plan to add nothing to landfills. Material and production scrap will be collected at an on-site materials collection center. The material captured here will either be routed to recycling or processing either at the plant or at off-site facilities. Ford is collaborating with Redwood Materials, a leading battery materials company, to make electric vehicles more sustainable and affordable for Americans. Together they will work on improving lithium-ion recycling. Battery recycling is key for EV sustainability.
BlueOvalSK Battery Park
Speaking of batteries. Ford plans to build a dedicated battery manufacturing complex with SK Innovation. BlueOvalSK Battery Park will be a $5.8B twin battery plant site. “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,” said Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford. “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.” The two plants are expected to be capable of producing up to 43 gigawatt hours each for a total of 86 gigawatt hours annually. These are the batteries that will power the next-generation electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
Training Investments
New plants and technologies are great, but we still need people to run and maintain them. To that end, Ford is investing $90 million in Texas alone as part of a $525 million total investment across the U.S. during the next five years. The goal is to transform America’s auto technician industry. Therefore, this training will focus on getting technicians ready for the next generation of electric vehicles.
Future Ford
As a result of these changes future Ford is going to look very different than it does today. Certainly the world is moving towards an electric vehicle future and Ford is doing everything it can to make sure they are out in front. Ford made America mobile with the introduction of the Model T. Now, over one hundred years later they are again looking to lead the way with the newest technology. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Images: Ford
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