"Ford Will Produce Upcoming Battery Electric Vechicle at Former SUV Plant" Green Car Advisor

Ford Will Produce Upcoming Battery Electric Vechicle at Former SUV Plant

Ford Motor Co. today said that it will spend $550 million to transform its Michigan Assembly Plant into a lean, green and flexible manufacturing facility that will build the company's new, gasoline-powered global Ford Focus and a battery-electric version of that vehicle. The conventional Focus will begin rolling off of the assembly lines in 2010 with the Ford Focus battery electric vehicle to follow in 2011.

The zero-emission Focus BEV, which is being developed in partnership with Magna International, will have a high-voltage electric motor powered by a high-capacity Lithium Ion battery pack that will plug into 110-volt or 220-volt outlets. Ford today described the vehicle as part of its plan to "develop electric vehicles for North America quickly and affordably by leveraging its global platform capability."

In addition to the battery electric car, Ford is working with Smith Electric to introduce a Transit Connect battery electric commercial vehicle into North American markets during 2010. The automobile company plans to introduce a next-generation hybrid vehicle in 2012 and a plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2012.

"We're changing from a company focused mainly on trucks and SUVs to a company with a balanced product lineup that includes even more high-quality, fuel-efficient small cars, hybrids and all-electric vehicles," said Mark Fields, president of Ford's American operations. "As customers move to more fuel-efficient vehicles, we'll be there with more of the products they really want."

The state of Michigan, Wayne County and the city of Wayne contributed more than $160 million in tax credits and grants to support Ford's renovation project. Ford credited UAW officials for "establishing a strong, progressive culture at Michigan Assembly Plant that is based on teamwork, joint problem solving and continuous improvement."

The 52-year-old plant that most recently manufactured Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs is one of three North American light truck plants that Ford plans to retool as it scrambles to build fuel-efficient small cars. The Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico will build the new Fiesta subcompact early next year and Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky will build Focus vehicles beginning in 2010.

The Michigan Assembly Plant's output has mirrored the demands of consumers over the generations. It opened in 1957 to produce Mercury station wagons, began producing trucks (including the F-150) and Broncos during the late 1960s and became one of Ford's most-profitable plants during the 1990s SUV boom.

"The transformation of Michigan Assembly Plant embodies the larger transformation under way at Ford," Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said in a statement. "This is about investing in modern, efficient and flexible American manufacturing. It is about fuel economy and the electrification of vehicles. It is about leveraging our expertise and vehicle platforms around the world and partnering with the UAW to deliver best-in-class global small cars"

Greg Johnson, Contributor