Ford to build new plants in Tennessee, Kentucky in $11 billion investment in electric vehicles

[Jilly_in_VA]

Ford Motor Co. on Monday announced plans to invest $11 billion to build several new plants to produce parts for electric vehicles, creating nearly 11,000 jobs.

This company will pay for a new assembly plant to build all-electric F-Series trucks and three battery plants, including factories in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Ford had already announced an investment over the past two years of $950 million in the Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan, to build the all-electric 2022 F-150 Lightning.

Bringing the battery supply chain to the U.S. insulates Ford from being held hostage by battery shortages the way the industry has been kneecapped by the global semiconductor chip shortage.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2021/09/28/ford-motor-company-electric-vehicle-plants-batteries-kentucky-tennessee/5896095001/

[pwb]

1. Easy states to pollute in?

WTF Ford?

[Tomconroy]

2. As a Ford shareholder, I hope they will be union plants.

Pretty sure they will be.

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. Both states

are right-to-slave states. So probably not.

[Tomconroy]

5. Ford has very good relations with the UAW. I just don't think

They would open non union shops in the US. I don't know for sure, but I would think it would be an issue covered in the contract. And bringing the UAW to Kentucky and Tennessee would be a great thing.

PS Bill Ford is dedicated to ensuring Ford is a 'green' company.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. It's not really up to Ford whether it's union or not. It's up to the workers. And so far, auto

workers don't have a great track record with organizing in the south.

[Tomconroy]

8. There's an article in one of the Detroit papers about

This. Unfortunately it's paywalled. From the little I could read the answer is: Maybe.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. From the WSJ:

John Savona, Ford’s vice president of manufacturing and labor affairs, told reporters that future workers at the assembly factory and the three battery plants would decide whether to be represented by a union.

[Tomconroy]

10. Ford currently has assembly plants in Kentucky

And they are unionized.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. They opened decades ago, when the union, economic and political landscapes were very different.

Workers at new plants in Kentucky and Tennessee are going to have a harder path. And sure, they might do it. But I'll hold off my celebration until the first contract is ratified.

[Tomconroy]

12. It will be a defining battle for the UAW.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. Each one is.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. Why do you think they would be?

[Tomconroy]

6. See above.

[Klaralven]

14. I thought the battery plants were being managed by SK Innovation?

Doubtful whether they would be unionized. Battery manufacturing requires meticulous attention to quality or the vehicles catch on fire (see Bolt).

[Tomconroy]

17. It is a joint venture.

[Klaralven]

21. SK Innovations has two small plant in Georgia starting pilot production

They have the battery technology, the manufacturing technology, and the patents. Ford is supplying the money to build large scale plants. But if Ford gets involved in the day-to-day running of the plants, they'll be a disaster.

[lagomorph777]

19. Are you insinuating that unions are bad for quality?

[Demovictory9]

15. more jobs in US is a good thing

[Demovictory9]

16. has TFG claimed credit yet?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

18. Ford has opened up a list of interested buyers in their new electric vehicles.

People can sign up to order one in advance. Apparently more than 100,000 folks have done just that.

[lagomorph777]

20. So they have decided not to go bankrupt when internal combustion goes obsolete?

Very good news!

[Tomconroy]

22. Way back a decade or more ago Alan Mulalley signed on

As Ford CEO in part because Bill Ford had a vision of Ford as a Green company which is now coming to full fruition. There was a time in America when corporations didn't worship the quarterly reports but felt they had a duty to their workers, their shareholders and their communities. And it often made for good business.