Last week, Ford made another stride in their efforts towards promoting a more sustainable future for the automotive industry. The announcement detailed plans for a new battery plant, called BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, located in the town of Marshall. Ford has already made an investment of $3.5 billion in the project, which will become the country’s first automaker-backed LFP battery plant.
“We are committed to leading the electric vehicle revolution in America, and that means investing in the technology and jobs that will keep us on the cutting edge of this global transformation in our industry,” said Bill Ford, Ford executive chair. “I am also proud that we chose our home state of Michigan for this critical battery production hub.”
BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will offer Ford customers the benefits of multiple available types of batteries in Ford electric vehicles. The new plant will be creating LFP (or lithium ion phosphate) batteries, as well as the NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) batteries currently power Ford EVs. The introduction of this option will allow Ford vehicle owners to choose which battery qualities they want to prioritize in their EV. For example, NCM batteries have more energy and power to offer and tend to perform better in cold temperatures, while LFP batteries are cheaper to produce since they are made from more readily available materials, and they often have a better lifespan than NCM batteries. LFP batteries in particular will help the next generations of Ford vehicles to be more affordable and accessible. These types of batteries are already expected to be available on the 2023 Mustang Mach-E and the 2024 F-150 Lightning, in an effort to increase production capacity and reduce customer wait times.
“Ford’s electric vehicle lineup has generated huge demand. To get as many Ford EVs to customers as possible, we’re the first automaker to commit to build both NCM and LFP batteries in the United States,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “We’re delivering on our commitments as we scale LFP and NCM batteries and thousands, and soon millions, of customers will begin to reap the benefits of Ford EVs with cutting-edge, durable battery technologies that are growing more affordable over time.”
BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will begin production in 2026, and at its start will create 2,500 new jobs, a number that may be expanded in the future. 245 acres of land at the southern edge of the site chosen for the plant, along the Kalamazoo River, have been identified to become a conservation easement, preserved and protected against future industrial development. This effort by Ford is intended to offset the presence of the plant and ensure sustainability and natural preservation in the future.
“The City of Marshall welcomes this exciting new partnership with Ford Motor Company,” said Marshall Mayor Jim Schwartz. “This investment in the local community will lead to an influx of new jobs to Marshall and economic development throughout the area. We are especially excited to support Ford’s conservation easement which will preserve Michigan’s natural beauty along the Kalamazoo River.”
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