Ford’s massive battery production plant in Kentucky will be switching gears.SK On announced last week that it was ending its partnership with Ford, giving Ford complete control of the plant in Hardin County.During the partnership, the plant was to produce batteries for the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning. That just began in August.Now, Ford says it will be repurposing the facility, moving away from EV batteries and into battery energy storage systems.”This strategic initiative will leverage currently underutilized electric vehicle battery capacity to create a new, diversified and profitable revenue stream for Ford. The company also plans to invest roughly $2 billion in the next two years to scale the business,” Ford said in a news release.The facility in Kentucky will be converted to manufacture 5 MWh+ advanced battery energy storage systems. It will produce LFP prismatic cells, battery energy storage system modules, and 20-foot DC container systems at the Kentucky plant. “These systems are at the heart of the energy storage solution market for data centers, utilities, and large-scale industrial and commercial customers,” Ford said.Ford says a subsidiary will independently own and operate the Kentucky plants. Ford says its current plan is to bring the initial capacity online within 18 months and to deploy at least 20 GWh annually by late 2027.State Reps. Samara Heavrin and Steve Bratcher released a joint statement following the announcement:“Our focus remains on making sure the men and women whose jobs are impacted by this decision have the support and resources they need to find new employment and that going forward this new project delivers real, lasting investment and meaningful employment for the families and communities surrounding Glendale. We are optimistic about Ford Motor Company’s decision to take over the Glendale facility and transition the project toward energy storage, particularly as initial plans for the project have faced significant challenges from the outset. At the same time, optimism must be matched with both caution and accountability, and we will be watching closely to ensure commitments are met and honored.” Gov. Andy Beshear said there are around 1,600 workers at the facility who will be impacted, but the could have different jobs with Ford as the operations switch.”We don’t know how many of them are going to be laid off for how long,” Beshear said. “The Blue Oval Company is going to no longer exist. So those jobs have to end. The question is, how soon will they be Ford employees? But what I know is we’re creating a lot of jobs around this commonwealth very quickly, and we’re going to present as many options to these workers as possible.”Kentucky Sen. Matt Deneen (R-Elizabethtown) said Ford reaffirmed to add around 2,100 jobs to the plant replacing the jobs that are lost.
GLENDALE, Ky. —
Ford’s massive battery production plant in Kentucky will be switching gears.
SK On announced last week that it was ending its partnership with Ford, giving Ford complete control of the plant in Hardin County.
During the partnership, the plant was to produce batteries for the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning. That just began in August.
Now, Ford says it will be repurposing the facility, moving away from EV batteries and into battery energy storage systems.
“This strategic initiative will leverage currently underutilized electric vehicle battery capacity to create a new, diversified and profitable revenue stream for Ford. The company also plans to invest roughly $2 billion in the next two years to scale the business,” Ford said in a news release.
The facility in Kentucky will be converted to manufacture 5 MWh+ advanced battery energy storage systems. It will produce LFP prismatic cells, battery energy storage system modules, and 20-foot DC container systems at the Kentucky plant.
“These systems are at the heart of the energy storage solution market for data centers, utilities, and large-scale industrial and commercial customers,” Ford said.
Ford says a subsidiary will independently own and operate the Kentucky plants.
Ford says its current plan is to bring the initial capacity online within 18 months and to deploy at least 20 GWh annually by late 2027.
State Reps. Samara Heavrin and Steve Bratcher released a joint statement following the announcement:
“Our focus remains on making sure the men and women whose jobs are impacted by this decision have the support and resources they need to find new employment and that going forward this new project delivers real, lasting investment and meaningful employment for the families and communities surrounding Glendale. We are optimistic about Ford Motor Company’s decision to take over the Glendale facility and transition the project toward energy storage, particularly as initial plans for the project have faced significant challenges from the outset. At the same time, optimism must be matched with both caution and accountability, and we will be watching closely to ensure commitments are met and honored.”
Gov. Andy Beshear said there are around 1,600 workers at the facility who will be impacted, but the could have different jobs with Ford as the operations switch.
“We don’t know how many of them are going to be laid off for how long,” Beshear said. “The Blue Oval Company is going to no longer exist. So those jobs have to end. The question is, how soon will they be Ford employees? But what I know is we’re creating a lot of jobs around this commonwealth very quickly, and we’re going to present as many options to these workers as possible.”
Kentucky Sen. Matt Deneen (R-Elizabethtown) said Ford reaffirmed to add around 2,100 jobs to the plant replacing the jobs that are lost.