Ford expects to deliver the first lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the U.S. for vehicles before the end of the calendar year, according to an update Wednesday from BlueOval Battery Park Michigan plant manager Scott Davis.
Employment milestone: The update sent out via Ford From the Road, showed the OEM has hired 500 workers at the plant.
Ford will bring on 800 by the end of the year.
The goal is to add 1,700 in total.
Launch of EV truck: Davis wrote in the message that the hiring progress puts the automaker on pace to ship electric batteries in 2026.
“These LFP prismatic batteries will power Ford’s affordable midsize electric truck, the first vehicle on Ford’s Universal EV Platform,” he wrote.
The new Ford EV mid-size truck is expected to hit the market at $30,000 in 2027.
Ramping up: Production has progressed to the point where workers are now past the assembly of the first LFP prismatic cells, with aging and inspection underway.
In announcing the $3.5 billion plant and project in 2023, Ford partnered with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) — the world’s leading battery manufacturer. Ford handles the manufacturing using the knowledge of CATL.
“Having met rigorous safety and quality standards at each stage of the process, we are now testing batteries to ensure quality, following CATL’s industry-leading practices for production verification,” Davis said.
Takeaway for dealers: The progress on LFP battery manufacturing in the U.S. means another affordable option for consumers is nearing the lot.
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