Ford to Invest $1.45 Billion in Two Michigan Plants to Support Production of the New Bronco and Hybrid & Electric F-150 Pickups

author: Eric Walz   

Detroit automaker Ford Motor Co is making a significant investment in two Detroit-area plants to build the new Ford Bronco SUV and to ready production for the first plug-in hybrid and electric F-150 pickups. The investment will add 3,000 new jobs and supports the company's expansion into electric and autonomous vehicles.

As part of the new investment, Ford said its manufacturing facility in Wayne, Mich. will be upgraded to support production of the Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger, as well as create a new modification center at the Wayne location.

The next-generation Ford Bronco will be revealed in the spring of 2020. The rugged, off-road SUV will be built alongside the Ford Ranger at the automaker's Wayne, Michigan assembly plant.

Ford is investing approximately $750 million and adding 2,700 new direct jobs at its manufacturing facility in Wayne.

The modification center in Wayne will focus on completing Ford's first autonomous vehicles beginning in 2021, such as installing the vehicles' unique self-driving technology and purpose-built interiors. The modification center will be the first Ford facility in Dearborn and Detroit dedicated to autonomous vehicle development, the company said.

Ford resurrected the Ranger pickup for the 2019 model year after an eight-year hiatus.

The Electric F-150 Pickup

At Ford's Dearborn plant, the automaker plans to add 300 new jobs and invest about $700 million to support production of new electrified versions of its F-150 truck, producing the first-ever F-150 hybrid and fully-electric F-150 pickups. Ford will also create a new operation in Dearborn where the battery cells will be assembled into battery packs for the F-150 hybrid and all-electric F-150.

In 2020, Ford will debut the all-new F-150 and F-150 hybrid. The fully electric Ford F-150 will follow the hybrid model and will be part of the company's $11.5 billion investment for the development of new electric models.

The Ford F-150 is the best selling truck in the U.S., retaining the title for 42 consecutive years.

"At Ford, we are investing aggressively in building on our strengths today – including trucks and SUVs – while at the same time expanding our leadership into electric and autonomous vehicles," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president, Automotive. "As America's No. 1 producer of automobiles, we are proud of our commitment to invest in manufacturing here in Michigan."

Ford's Latest Investment Has the Support of the UAW

Ford said its investments are supported by its strong partnership with the UAW, which represents the company's hourly workforce, as well as with federal, state, county and local governments.

In the 2019 UAW-Ford contract, Ford agreed to invest $6 billion in its U.S. factories, creating and supporting 8,500 jobs. 

"The UAW is proud of Ford's commitment to manufacturing in the United States and in Michigan," said UAW President Rory Gamble. "This is a direct result of the 2019 collective bargaining process, providing additional jobs – and job security – for UAW members in Southeast Michigan."

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.