Photo: Ford
Ford Motor Company on Monday announced two huge developments coming to Tennessee and Kentucky. Ford will build a $5.6 billion campus in Stanton, Tennessee, that it’s calling Blue Oval City. Tennessee and Kentucky will also become the homes of three BlueOvalSK battery plants that will manufacture batteries for Ford and Lincoln EVs.
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Blue Oval City to ‘usher in a new era for American manufacturing’
Ford says that Blue Oval City will be among the largest auto manufacturing plants in America. Projected to cover 3,600 acres and 6 square miles, the all-in-one campus includes vehicle and battery assembly as well as a supplier park. Ford says that the vertical integration of these functions will help cut emissions and save costs in the process. This will be part of Ford’s new partnership with Redwood Materials, which seeks to create a closed-loop supply chain for battery manufacturing and recycling.
Blue Oval City will also be a major job generator for the state of Tennessee. Ford estimates an economic impact of 6,000 jobs. The primary focus of Blue Oval City will be the next wave of electric F-Series trucks, making it arguably one of the most critical facilities Ford operates.
Photo: Ford
“West Tennessee is primed to deliver the workforce and quality of life needed to create the next great American success story with Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation,” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. “This is a watershed moment for Tennesseans as we lead the future of the automotive industry and advanced manufacturing.”
Production at Blue Oval City is slated to get underway in 2025. Ford says that the plant will be carbon-neutral from day one. In addition to being zero-waste-to-landfill and having its own on-site wastewater treatment plant, Ford says that the plant will positively impact the local environment through biomimicry.
Ford building $5.8B battery campus in Kentucky
Photo: Ford
In addition to the battery manufacturing capabilities at Blue Oval City, Ford will build twin battery plants in Glendale, Kentucky. The $5.8 billion BlueOvalSK Battery Park will cover 1,500 acres and create some 5,000 jobs in the state of Kentucky.
Each of the twin battery plants at the BlueOvalSK Battery Park, as well as the plant in Tennessee, will produce 43 gigawatt-hours of energy annually. With 129 gWh of annual battery production, Ford hopes to expedite the EV adoption process and move the auto industry fully into a new era.
“This is the single largest investment in the history of our state and this project solidifies our leadership role in the future of the automotive manufacturing industry,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. “It will transform our economy, creating a better Kentucky, with more opportunities, for our families for generations. Our time is now. Our future is now.”
Ford’s future is certainly now as well. In addition to these massive investments, Ford is kicking EV production into full gear. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning has already exceeded initial expectations with 150,000 reservations and growing.
Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.