Ford may be moving its electric car strategy, the recent agreement with UAW tells
Ford Motor’s tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) suggests that a plan to bring electric vehicle production to Flat Rock, Michigan, factory that produces the Ford Mustang and Lincoln Continental has been modified. Ford announced in March that the factory would start building electric vehicles at the center in 2023.
The terms of the recent agreement, released by the UAW, state that the plant will now get a $250 million investment to carry on with Mustang production, including an all-new version and “derivatives” arriving at an unknown date, and will also construct the current-generation Continental until its lifecycle finishes. The document also tells that Ford is “continuing to explore future opportunities [at Flat Rock] during the life of this agreement.”
The agreement does mention that a “new product” is going to be included in Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant in 2023 as part of a $900 million investment, however, it does not state what it is. It also shows that a previously unannounced electric Transit is now slated for the Kansas City Assembly Plant, where standard versions of the van are produced. In October, Ford had introduced a plug-in hybrid version of the Transit for Europe that it stated would not be produced for the U.S.
Along with the possible modifications to Ford’s U.S. electric vehicle efforts, the company will be revealing a “Mustang-inspired” performance electric utility vehicle on November 17 that will be produced in Mexico starting 2020. An electric F-150 and a vehicle built through cooperation with Rivian is also yet to be seen.
