Ford gigantic 'Blue Oval City' to build next-gen electric F-Series trucks

[AzScorpion]

Glad to see Ford investing here in the US! ??

https://www.autoblog.com/2021/09/27/ford-blue-oval-city-battery-park-investment/

$11.4 billion is being invested in Tennessee and Kentucky, creating 11,000 jobs

Ford just announced it’s going to dump boatloads of money into Tennessee and Kentucky to create a couple of mega sites for electric vehicle production. In clearer terms, Ford and SK Innovation are investing $11.4 billion in a couple of massive projects in these states, all with EV production in mind.

Combined, they mark the single largest manufacturing investment the 118-year-old company has ever made and are among the largest factory outlays in the world. Together they will create nearly 11,000 jobs.

The first of the investments is a new $5.6 billion “mega campus” in Stanton, Tenn. It’s going to be formally named “Blue Oval City,” because it’s literally going to be as big as a city. The complex will comprise 3,600 acres — almost 6 square miles. Ford plans on using it for vehicle assembly, battery production and a supplier park. It will be the home of approximately 6,000 new jobs and will serve as “a hive of technical innovation” to build next-gen electric F-Series trucks. Ford says it will be a vertically integrated system and feature numerous sustainability solutions and use renewable resources. The goal of the plant will be total carbon neutrality by the projected start of production in 2025.

Another $5.8 billion is being spent by Ford in conjunction with SK Innovation to build something called the BlueOvalSK Battery Park in Glendale, Ky. This complex doesn’t get the same, snappy “city” moniker as the Tennessee complex does, but it’s still massive at 1,500 acres. The Battery Park will have two battery plants, both dedicated to supplying Ford’s assembly plants with locally produced battery packs. Ford isn’t getting too specific about what cars these battery packs will go into other than saying they’ll be for both Ford and Lincoln vehicles. In total, Ford predicts the plant will produce up to 86 GWh annually. The plant will be the home of 5,000 new jobs in Kentucky.

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[rang19ca]

That is good to hear about Ford investing in the U.S. I hope they can make this into a workable solution.

 

[AzScorpion]

That is good to hear about Ford investing in the U.S. I hope they can make this into a workable solution.

I hope so too and I think they will Chuck. Ford wants electric sales to be at 40-50% by 2030 so I think there's going to be a big push for this by them.

 

[AdamHarris]

Yes I posted about this yesterday. It’s a very exciting time for our area to have something like this coming. Plus we’re getting a Great Wolf Lodge here in Jackson so life will be compete!! Lol.

 

[AzScorpion]

Yes I posted about this yesterday. It’s a very exciting time for our area to have something like this coming. Plus we’re getting a Great Wolf Lodge here in Jackson so life will be compete!! Lol.

Sorry I never saw it and seeing this article just came out today I didn't think to search for it.

 

[2020FRL]

I hope they "get it right", but until they upgrade gas stations to electric that works and figure out the chip supply chain issues ... kinda seems like a "pipe dream" or is that a "wire dream".

 

[AzScorpion]

I hope they "get it right", but until they upgrade gas stations to electric that works and figure out the chip supply chain issues ... kinda seems like a "pipe dream" or is that a "wire dream".

I know there's 2 large chip factories opening up here in AZ within the next couple years so that should help. As far as charging stations there better be a whole lot of them thought the country for this to work out. Plus the whole electrical grid needs a major overhaul to support all these new EV vehicles but that's another discussion in its own. lol

 

[2020FRL]

And what do we use to generate electricity???????

 

[janitorjim]

And what do we use to generate electricity???????

 

[janitorjim]

I hope they "get it right", but until they upgrade gas stations to electric that works and figure out the chip supply chain issues ... kinda seems like a "pipe dream" or is that a "wire dream".

going to need to increase the charging rate by 10 fold before convenience stations have them.

 

[DeathRanger]

The advantage of having an electric car is charging at home and rarely ever stopping at a station to charge up. In fact charging or worrying about charging is almost non existent, you just take plug it in when not using and it's always ready to go.

In 110,000 miles and 2 years I've only charged maybe 20 times at a supercharger or public charger.

 

[AzScorpion]

The advantage of having an electric car is charging at home and rarely ever stopping at a station to charge up. In fact charging or worrying about charging is almost non existent, you just take plug it in when not using and it's always ready to go.

In 110,000 miles and 2 years I've only charged maybe 20 times at a supercharger or public charger.

While true most only need their electric vehicle for daily commutes and that should be plenty for them. But there are those who are on the road a lot for either business travel or personal travel where changing stations are going to be necessary.

I'm looking into getting a travel trailer and one of the biggest downfalls of the Ranger is the small gas tank, looking & stopping for gas every125- 150 miles or so is not going to be fun. It's going to be a lot less fun trying to find a charging station which are not all that readily available now. Technology will advance and there will be more and more of them over the years and the EV's will get longer distances too. But until then don't force them on us (government) and tell us everything needs to be EV by a certain date. I'm not against it at all it's just we're far from being there. Even the top of the line Ford Lightning only has a range on 300 miles and that's with the extended range batteries.

 

[AdamHarris]

Our power grid, as of a few years ago, was 80% coal fired. Its claimed that number is lower now.

I'm not against electric cars at all on account of that awesome acceleration and flat torque curve.

Of course EVs are NOT where they need to be YET to be a REAL full replacement for a combustion powered vehicle (I refuse to use the panty-waist sounding term "ICE") but just like many thought horses would never be replaced by cars, EVs (or something we don't even know about yet) will take over (replace combustion powered vehicles) completely someday. Anyone who denies this is simply refusing to see past their own nose.

 

[2020FRL]

The advantage of having an electric car is charging at home and rarely ever stopping at a station to charge up. In fact charging or worrying about charging is almost non existent, you just take plug it in when not using and it's always ready to go.

In 110,000 miles and 2 years I've only charged maybe 20 times at a supercharger or public charger.

Unless you're retired and like to see this great country. Then, it's three hours of driving, two-three hours of charging. But there is always this option.

 

[Texasota]

The points being made in several of these posts is why a PHEV makes a lot of sense during this transition period. You can drive with electricity for most of your city commuting but you also have the ICE for longer trips. It is also a dual fuel vehicle that gives you flexibility if/when one of those fuels becomes unavailable. I can't wait to see the PHEV Ranger which should also be able to power my house during an electrical power outage.

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