Ford Motor Company plans to invest approximately $5 billion in U.S. operations to support a new electric vehicle platform, production process and midsize electric pickup. The investment will be split between Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky and BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, and is expected to create or secure nearly 4,000 direct jobs.
Central to the effort is the Ford Universal EV Platform, which reduces parts count by 20 percent, cuts fasteners by 25 percent, decreases dock-to-dock workstations by 40 percent and accelerates assembly time by 15 percent compared to a typical vehicle. The platform employs cobalt-free, nickel-free lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic batteries that serve as a structural floor assembly, lowering center of gravity and enabling additional interior space. Ford says the wiring harness on the first model will be more than 4,000 feet shorter and 10 kilograms lighter than its previous-generation electric SUV.
The first application of this architecture will be a four-door midsize electric pickup, targeted to start at about $30,000 and scheduled to reach customers in 2027. Ford expects the truck to deliver 0–60 mph performance comparable to the Mustang EcoBoost, offer more passenger room than a Toyota RAV4, and include both a front trunk and a traditional pickup bed.
Manufacturing advances accompany the new platform. Ford’s Universal EV Production System replaces a single long conveyor with an “assembly tree” of three simultaneous sub-assembly lines that merge front, rear and structural battery modules. Single-piece aluminum unicastings reduce part count, and a kit-based parts delivery system improves ergonomics and efficiency. Ford estimates overall assembly of the midsize pickup could be up to 40 percent faster than current models, with a net 15 percent speed improvement after reinvesting time in automation and insourcing.
“We put our employees at the center and re-created the factory from scratch,” said Bryce Currie, Ford vice president, Americas Manufacturing. “We live and breathe continuous improvement, but sometimes you need a dramatic leap forward. We expect ergonomic breakthroughs and complexity reduction – through elimination of parts, connectors and wire – will flow through to significant quality and cost wins.”
Louisville Assembly Plant will receive nearly $2 billion in upgrades and add 52,000 square feet of space, supporting 2,200 hourly positions. BlueOval Battery Park Michigan’s $3 billion investment will produce prismatic LFP battery cells beginning next year. Together, these commitments aim to strengthen the domestic supply chain, improve quality and deliver more affordable electric vehicles for the U.S. and export markets.
Source: Business Wire
