Ford has confirmed that it’s halting construction of a $3.5 million battery plant in Michigan that the automaker had focused on just months earlier as a key for EV affordability.
The plant, near Marshall, Michigan, was on account of create about 2,500 jobs and make lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are inclined to be less expensive to provide than the nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) batteries that Ford currently uses in its EVs. When the plant was announced, in February, Ford said that the plant would make “one in all the lowest-cost U.S.-produced batteries.”
That said, the price of manufacturing those cells appears to be on the core of Ford’s decision to carry off.
Ford Mustang Mach-E at Tesla Supercharger
“We’re pausing work and limiting spending on construction on the Marshall project while we reassess the business decision, to be confident about our ability to competitively operate the plant,” stated Ford corporate spokesperson T.R. Reid, in a response to Green Automotive Reports late Monday, after news of the halt spread via social media and a report from The Detroit News.
“There are quite a few considerations,” summed Reid, in the remaining of the statement to GCR. “We haven’t made any final decision in regards to the planned investment.”
Ford wouldn’t say to the Detroit News whether the choice had any connection to the present UAW strike, but on Tuesday, President Biden is on account of help rally striking staff in Michigan.
Other aspects which will have had a job in the choice along with costs or labor include a reliance on China for licensing of the technology. The plant was, nevertheless, on account of be owned and run entirely by Ford.
Ford comparing NCM and LFP battery types
Ford LFP battery advantages
As Ford said on the time of the announcement, LFP batteries boast many benefits. They assist strengthen the availability chain as they put a lighter burden on some high-demand, high-cost materials, while they could be charged from 0-100% every day, and so they’re also the popular selection for bidirectional charging. Alternatively, they could be sluggish to charge in very cold weather, and so they’re barely heavier than NCM tech.
Tesla has been putting LFP cells within the Model 3 Standard Range since late 2021, and so they’ve been quite well-received by owners.
Ford LFP product introductions
The choice, Ford summed, was informed by each vehicle use data and bottom-line cost, and that LFP batteries were sure for the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning.
LFP Mach-E deliveries are expected to start out later this yr. While base versions of the Tesla Model 3 with LFP cells manage eligibility for the complete $7,500 amount of the EV tax credit, versions Ford Mustang Mach-E with a LFP battery pack will qualify for a similar $3,750 EV tax credit amount as other current Mach-E Prolonged Range models.
This Article First Appeared At www.greencarreports.com
