Ford Plans $5 Billion U.S. EV Investment, Secures 4,000 Jobs

Ford Motor Company announced a $5 billion investment in U.S. electric vehicle production, dubbing it the company's "next Model T moment" to challenge Chinese automakers and boost affordable EV offerings. The investment includes a new assembly line at the Louisville Assembly Plant, which will convert from gas-powered SUVs to electric vehicles, securing 2,200 hourly jobs but resulting in about 600 fewer positions due to efficiency gains, and support for a Michigan battery plant slated for 2027. Ford introduced the Ford Universal EV Platform and Production System, which reduces parts by 20%, speeds up assembly by 15%, and utilizes cobalt-free, nickel-free lithium iron phosphate batteries integrated into the vehicle structure. The first vehicle on this platform will be a midsize, four-door electric pickup truck priced around $30,000, expected to launch in 2027, offering performance comparable to a Mustang EcoBoost and more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4. CEO Jim Farley emphasized that this initiative is a reinvention of Ford's historic assembly line approach to create affordable, efficient, and American-made electric vehicles, aiming to make EV ownership costs lower than a used Tesla Model Y over five years. The project aligns with the Trump administration's push for domestic manufacturing amid import tariffs, even as Ford continues to produce some EV models, like the Mustang Mach-E, in Mexico.