Ford Adding 300 Jobs, Building Electric Truck Plant In Dearborn

DEARBORN, MI — Ford is adding 300 jobs at a new factory being built to assemble batteries and manufacture an electric F-150 pickup truck, the company announced Thursday.

The new plant will be built in Dearborn, where Ford said it is producing the new version of the F-150 truck. The truck will be unveiled in November.

“We are proud to once again build and innovate for the future here at the Rouge with the debut of our all-new F-150 and the construction of a modern new manufacturing center to build the first-ever all-electric F-150,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. “This year’s COVID-19 crisis made it clear why it is so important for companies like Ford to help keep our U.S. manufacturing base strong and help our country get back to work.

Including investments for Bronco and Ranger at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne announced last year, Ford said it plans to invest more than $1.45 billion and create approximately 3,000 jobs over the next three years in Michigan alone.

Ford’s F-series pickup is the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. with nearly 900,000 sold last year, according to The Associated Press.

The new truck will go on sale in mid-2022, the company said. Ford is investing $700 million in its Rouge factory complex to make the new trucks. The company also intends to plug-in gas-electric version.

“The critical launch of the all-new F-150 is now underway — on time and with the Built Ford Tough quality our customers demand to get the job done,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer and incoming CEO. “F-Series pickups are the backbone of work and productivity across the country. And now we are preparing to build a fully electric version of America’s most popular vehicle, and it will be a seriously capable, purpose-built tool for serious truck customers.”

Ford said that according to a study done by the Boston Consulting Group, the F-Series brings in $42 billion in U.S. revenue. That’s more than whole companies such as McDonald’s, Nike and Netflix, according to The Associated Press.

Information and reporting from The Associated Press contributed to this report.