ROMULUS, Michgan — Ford Motor Co. signaled Monday that Michigan will play a central role in the Dearborn automaker's bid to secure its electric-vehicle supply chain and diversify its battery technologies.
The Blue Oval confirmed plans to invest $3.5 billion to build the first automaker-backed lithium iron phosphate battery plant in the United States. Ford is doing so with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., or CATL, under a licensing agreement with the China-based company, the world's leading battery manufacturer.
The venture, slated to come online in 2026, will initially create 2,500 jobs. The plant, as The Detroit News previously reported, will be built on the Marshall Megasite in Calhoun County. The plant, which will be called BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, will be part of a wholly-owned Ford subsidiary and could be expanded in the future, Ford said.
