MARSHALL, MI (WTVB) – Ford Motor Company’s Blue Oval Battery Plant in Marshall remains under construction but is now undergoing a massive strategic pivot that has sparked new uncertainty. While the plant is still scheduled to open in 2026, its original mission to exclusively supply electric vehicle (EV) batteries has been altered due to cooling consumer demand and heavy financial losses.
This week, Ford announced a major shift in its North American manufacturing strategy after reporting significant losses in its EV division.
The Marshall facility will now focus on producing lithium iron phosphate batteries for Battery Energy Storage Systems, targeting utilities, solar/wind farms, and data centers.
In addition to grid-scale storage, the plant will manufacture batteries for household devices and midsize electric trucks.
Ford has cancelled plans for several larger, more expensive EV models, including the three-row electric SUV, further reducing the immediate need for the vast EV battery capacity originally planned for Marshall.
Ford’s decision this week led to the elimination of 1,200 jobs at a battery plant in Kentucky, but so far, Ford hasn’t said how it may affect the 1,700 employees that were expected to be hired in Marshall.
Just scrap it!