Ford officially broke ground Friday (23 September) on its $5.6bn “BlueOval City” mega-factory in Stanton, Tennessee that will produce next-generation electric F-Series pick-up trucks and advanced batteries.
The company, which claimed to be the United States’ number two electric vehicle brand based on sales in August, moved fast on the nearly 6-square-mile campus in Haywood County after announcing the plan to build it less than a year ago.
It has been preparing the mostly farmland site since March. Construction crews have moved 4.6 million cubic yards of soil, laid 370,000 tons of stone, and laid 4,600 deep foundations.
Detroit-headquartered contractor Walbridge leads construction work. It has been ranked as the United States’ top automotive contractor by Engineering News-Record.
The plant is scheduled for completion in 2025, after which it will employ around 6,000 people. Ford said it would help it reach its worldwide target of producing 2 million electric vehicles a year by late 2026.
“We are building the future right here in West Tennessee,” said Eric Grubb, Ford’s director of construction. “This facility is the blueprint for Ford’s future manufacturing facilities and will enable Ford to help lead America’s shift to electric vehicles.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said BlueOval City would have a “transformational impact on Tennesseans and our economy”.
