Ford Unveils $5 Billion EV Investment, Promises Most Affordable Electric Pickup

Ford is making what it calls its “next Model T moment,” announcing a $5 billion investment in US electric vehicle production aimed at reshaping its future in the industry.

The automaker said Monday the funding will go toward building a new assembly line and battery production, including work on an unnamed electric pickup truck expected to be the most affordable on the market at $30,000. Ford says the move will add or “secure” 4,000 US jobs.

About $2 billion of the investment will be directed to Ford’s Louisville assembly plant, securing 2,200 hourly jobs and converting operations from gas-powered SUVs to electric vehicles. However, the company noted the new assembly line’s efficiency will require about 600 fewer jobs than current staffing levels. Additional funds will go to a Michigan battery plant Ford has been planning since 2023.

Ford introduced a new, smaller, lighter battery design that will help achieve the lower price point for the pickup, far undercutting the current starting price of about $55,000 for the Ford F-150 Lightning. The new line is expected to be operational in 2027.

The company’s redesigned assembly line will move away from the straight-line approach pioneered by founder Henry Ford in 1913. Instead, the “tree layout” will allow several production lines to feed parts into one another, lowering costs and improving speed while making work easier for assembly workers.

Ford’s announcement comes as automakers face tariffs on imports and pressure from the Trump administration to boost US manufacturing. While Ford builds more cars in America than any other automaker, it confirmed it will continue producing the Mustang Mach-E in Mexico.

Despite strong revenue growth in its EV segment, Ford still reported a $2.2 billion loss for the first half of the year. Federal tax credits for EV buyers and stricter emissions regulations were rolled back earlier this year, adding further challenges to the industry’s shift toward electrification.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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