Transport

US carmaker Ford has announced plans to invest $135 million in the design, engineering and production of components for its next generation of hybrid-electric vehicles.

The investment at its Rawsonville and Van Dyke plants in Michigan will create around 220 new jobs in design, as well as assembling battery packs and producing new electric-drive transaxles for the company’s five electrified vehicles due to launch in the US in 2012.

Ford says it will create a centre of excellence for vehicle electrification in Michigan to support its new generation of cars.

“Electrified vehicles are a key part of our plan to offer a full lineup of green vehicles, and we are building a centre of excellence in the US, here in Michigan, to keep Ford on the cutting edge,” says Mark Fields, president of Ford for the Americas.

The work is currently carried out by suppliers in Mexico and Japan. Ford now plans to use its in-house team to design and engineer advanced lithium-ion batteries for its next-generation hybrid vehicles.

The investment will support Ford’s rollout if the Transit Connect Electric light commercial vehicle later this year in North America and next year in Europe, as well as the Focus Electric, which will follow in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Also on the way later this year is a Lincoln MKZ hybrid and a next-generation hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle based on Ford’s global C-car platform in 2012.

For further information:
www.ford.com

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