Ford Starts LFP Cell Production at 500-Acre Michigan Plant, Targeting EVs and Home Storage
Updated
Updated · WTVB · Jun 20
Ford Starts LFP Cell Production at 500-Acre Michigan Plant, Targeting EVs and Home Storage
3 articles · Updated · WTVB · Jun 20
Summary
Marshall, Michigan, is now assembling Ford’s first full lithium-iron phosphate prismatic cells, from slurry and coating through final inspection, at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan.
The plant is ramping up D-sample cells for testing and validation and remains on track to deliver production-ready batteries by year-end for Ford’s next-generation Universal EV platform, including a midsize electric truck.
A new five-year Ford Energy framework will also have the site make smaller residential energy storage systems, helping the facility use capacity as EV demand fluctuates.
More than 500 workers are already employed at the 500-acre site, over 70% from nearby communities; Ford has received 11,500 applications, aims for 800 staff by year-end and 1,700 permanently.
The launch marks the first automaker-backed U.S. plant producing these lower-cost LFP batteries, with local business leaders reporting stronger foot traffic despite earlier opposition and failed zoning litigation.
Ford promises 1,700 jobs, but what is the real long-term cost to Marshall's farmland and community character?
With CATL tech inside, can Ford's new batteries truly outcompete low-cost Chinese EVs in the U.S. market?
Is Ford's massive pivot to energy storage a brilliant hedge or a sign of weakening confidence in its EV future?
Ford’s $3 Billion LFP Battery Launch in Michigan: Strategic Pivot, CATL Partnership, and the Race for Affordable EVs and Grid Storage
Overview
Ford has launched production of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery cells at its BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, marking a major step in its electric vehicle strategy. This move supports local workers, boosts Michigan’s role in auto and battery manufacturing, and gives consumers more affordable EV options. The plant is ramping up production of advanced 'D-sample' cells and is on track to deliver production-ready batteries before the end of 2026. These new LFP batteries will first power Ford’s midsize electric truck, showing Ford’s commitment to accessible, American-made electric vehicles.