The plant is now expected to employ 1,700 workers, up from 2,500, with a projected output of 20 GWh, up from 35.
Ford said Nov. 21 that it was “increasing” its investment in its upcoming BlueOval Battery Park Michigan in Marshall, cutting projected job creation from 2,500 to 1,700 and planned capacity from 35 GWh to 20.
The plant is still expected to start generating lithium iron phosphate batteries in 2026, the first plant of its kind for Ford, in a bid for electric vehicle charging.
“While we remain positive about our long-term strategy for electric vehicles, we are reprogramming and resizing some investments,” Ford said, adding that it will have to balance investment, expansion and profitability as it moves forward.
The $3. 5 billion plant first announced in February, accompanied by $1 billion in taxpayer-funded incentives approved through the Michigan Strategic Fund, and another $750 million from the state for site preparation.
In September, Ford said it was unsure of its ability to run the Marshall plant competitively.
“We are postponing painting and restricting construction expenses on the Marshall project until we are confident that we will be able to operate the plant competitively,” a Ford spokesperson said at the time. “There are a number of considerations. We have not yet made a final decision on the planned investments. There is nothing to carry at this time.
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