Ford's BlueOval Battery Park Michigan Reaches LFP Production and Hiring Milestones
Ford has begun assembling its first full LFP prismatic cells and hired over 500 employees at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, on track to ship EV batteries in 2026.
- more than 500
- 1,700
- more than 11,500
What Happened
Ford announced that BlueOval Battery Park Michigan has started assembling its first full LFP prismatic cells from slurry to final inspection. The plant has hired over 500 employees so far, with plans to reach 800 by year-end and a goal of 1,700 total jobs. Ford expects to ship electric vehicle batteries in 2026, powering its affordable midsize electric truck on the Universal EV Platform.
“BlueOval Battery Park Michigan has already created more than 500 high-tech, good-paying jobs, with hundreds more jobs on the way. This project brings world-class battery technology to our state and positions us to bring even more auto and battery manufacturing back from overseas.”
more than 11,500
Interest in joining the plant is high, with local hires from Marshall, Albion, and Battle Creek.
- Level 1: Classroom work required to access the production floor
- Level 2: Hands-on learning with subject-matter experts
- Level 3: Independent operation and continuous improvement
- Level 4: Qualified to train others
Why this matters
This makes Ford the first automaker to produce LFP batteries for mainstream consumer EVs in the U.S., supporting affordable electric vehicles and onshoring critical battery technology.
Terms in This Story
- LFP
- Lithium-iron phosphate, a type of battery chemistry known for safety and lower cost.
- Prismatic battery
- A rectangular-shaped battery cell, often used in electric vehicles.
- CATL
- Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, a leading Chinese battery manufacturer.
- Cleanroom
- A controlled environment with low levels of pollutants, used in battery production.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.