DETROIT ? Ford Motor Company announced Monday it is investing $450 million in its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne to produce future hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles starting in 2012.
That’s the plant that will produce the new 2011 Ford Focus, along with the 2012 Ford Focus Electric. The latest announcement means that the same platform will also spawn both hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles yet to be announced.
Ford will bring assembly of battery packs for these vehicles back to Michigan from Mexico, to a plant now being chosen.
Those will be the first Ford packs to use lithium-ion cells, with their higher energy density. The nickel-metal-hydride packs for the current Fusion Hybrid are assembled in Mexico, as is the Fusion itself.
Ford at the auto show also launched its new 2011 Ford Focus compact sedan and hatchback, which got rave reviews, and its 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid won North American Car of the Year.
In total, Ford says, up to 1,000 jobs will be created in the state of Michigan for design, engineering, and manufacturing of hybrid transaxles, battery systems, and electric-drive vehicles. Most of those jobs will be at the Wayne plant, which formerly built sport-utility vehicles.
Ford has now invested almost $1 billion in U.S. assembly of electric and hybrid batteries and vehicles. The latest round comes with a package of $188 million of Michigan state tax credits and incentives. U.S. Department of Energy funds for advanced-vehicle development assisted Ford’s efforts as well.
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