Ford says it is on track with construction at its new BlueOval City EV- and battery-manufacturing mega-campus in West Tennessee to begin production in 2025. BlueOval will be home to Ford’s second-generation electric truck, code-named Project T3, and will be capable of producing 500,000 EV trucks a year at full production, the company says. Ford and partner SK On are investing $5.6 billion in the campus and say they are creating approximately 6,000 new jobs. Ford has also launched an education and training effort called BlueOval Learning to prepare future employees.
BlueOval City is designed to be Ford’s first carbon-neutral vehicle manufacturing and battery campus, as Ford says it works to power all Ford plants globally with renewable and carbon-free electricity by 2035.
BlueOval City also is a key part of Ford’s plan to scale EV production and make them more accessible to customers, the company says; the company is targeting a production run rate of 2 million EVs annually across the globe by late 2026.
Ford is developing its second-generation EV truck in tandem with the all-new assembly plant, resulting in efficiencies such as a 30% smaller general assembly footprint than traditional plants while delivering higher production capacity. Project T3 is short for “Trust The Truck.”
The 3,600-acre campus also has a fully integrated BlueOval SK battery manufacturing site. On-site, the team will build battery cells and arrays and assemble battery packs that will be delivered just across the site into the assembly plant, in less than 30 minutes, Ford says. In addition, BlueOval City is developing an on-site supplier park and will have an upfit center capable of adding in dozens of Ford truck features – including robotically installed spray-in bedliners and integrated toolboxes before the pickups are released to dealers and customers.
The campus also has an on-site Lowe’s store supplying building materials, two construction equipment rental companies and three concrete batch plants.
Ford is also introducing BlueOval Learning to empower future workers to build an EV future in America. This talent development program will strengthen skills, provide teacher support and increase work-based learning experiences. Key elements include:
- Building STEM curricula: Ford will support K-12 schools and universities to expand existing STEM-related curricula and infrastructure
- Bringing advanced manufacturing to local schools: Ford will provide mechatronics training equipment and program development in Haywood, Tipton and Lauderdale counties
- Kick-starting careers in high school: Ford will help to expand certifications and dual-enrollment opportunities for students
- Experiential learning: Ford will partner with colleges and universities to develop work-based learning such as co-ops and internships
- Premier training in advanced technologies: Ford will collaborate with higher education institutions to provide training on advanced manufacturing, EVs and battery manufacturing
- BlueOval City TCAT: This state-of-the-art training center, a $40 million investment by the State of Tennessee and created with the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, will be a hub for education resources and best-in-class training programs.
