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20h ago

Ford Bets $5 Billion on Revamped EV Platform to Launch $30,000 Pickup

Ford aims to revive its EV business by combining a three-branch assembly system in Kentucky with domestic prismatic LFP batteries to underpin a family of lower-cost models.

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FILE - A vehicle assembly technician works on a 2025 Ford Expedition during a media tour to launch the 2025 Ford Expedition at the Ford Motor Company Kentucky Truck Plant, April 30, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, file)
The metal frame of a Ford Escape SUV on the production line at the Ford Louisville Assembly plant in Kentucky. Ford will stop producing the Escape in Louisville, building a new type of assembly line for its next generation of electric vehicles.

Overview

  • The $5 billion program allocates $2 billion to retool the Louisville Assembly Plant and $3 billion to expand BlueOval Battery Park, securing or creating nearly 4,000 U.S. jobs and targeting a midsize pickup in 2027.
  • Ford’s Universal EV Platform and three-branch “assembly tree” are designed to cut parts by 20%, fasteners by 25%, workstations by 40%, and speed assembly by 15% compared with a traditional line.
  • Prismatic lithium-iron-phosphate batteries licensed from CATL will be produced in Michigan and serve as structural elements to lower pack cost, reduce fire risk and improve packaging.
  • CEO Jim Farley projects the new EV lineup will turn a profit within its first year and compete on cost with low-priced Chinese models as federal tax credits wind down.
  • Analysts warn the high-stakes plan carries material execution risks and could forfeit up to $700 million in incentives if reliance on Chinese-licensed battery technology triggers new restrictions.