Ford to invest $1.45 billion in two USA sites to deliver new electric and autonomous vehicles
January 6, 2020
The Ford Motor Company, headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, USA, is investing more than $1.45 billion in two manufacturing facilities based in southeast Michigan, which is expected to create 3,000 new jobs and strengthen the company’s offering of electric vehicles, as well as accelerating its expansion into autonomous vehicles.
According to the company, of the total $1.45 billion investment, approximately $750 million will be invested at its manufacturing facility in Wayne, Michigan, as well as creating 2,700 new jobs over the next three years. Ford states that it will install new equipment to support production of the new Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger, as well as a new modification centre at the Wayne location.
Employees at Ford’s Autonomous Vehicle, Bronco and Ranger modification centre will complete Ford’s first autonomous vehicles beginning in 2021, including installing the vehicles’ self-driving technology and purpose-built interiors. This will be the first centre of its kind for Ford and will drive synergies with the company’s existing AV research functions in Dearborn and Detroit.
At Ford’s Dearborn manufacturing facility, Ford will add 300 jobs and invest about $700 million to support production of new electrified variants of its F-150 truck, producing both a F-150 hybrid and fully electric F-150. The company explains that it will also create a new operation in Dearborn where battery cells will be assembled into a battery pack for the F-150 hybrid and all-electric F-150.
In 2020, Ford will debut the new F-150 and F-150 hybrid. The fully electric Ford F-150 is expected arrive soon after and will be part of the company’s more than $11.5 billion global electrified vehicle investment. The Ford Bronco is expected to be revealed in the spring of 2020.
“At Ford, we are investing aggressively in building on our strengths today – including trucks and SUVs – while at the same time expanding our leadership into electric and autonomous vehicles,” stated Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s President, Automotive. “As America’s No. 1 producer of automobiles, we are proud of our commitment to invest in manufacturing here in Michigan.”
