Ford to build EV battery plant with Chinese partner

Expansion drive: Employees assemble Ford vehicles on the production line at its centre in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford is investing US$50bil (RM217bil) broadly to develop and build EVs and plans to produce two million a year by the end of 2026. — AFP

DETROIT: Ford Motor Co and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) plan to build a battery plant in Michigan, according to people familiar with the matter, capping a months-long search that became mired in geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.

The multi-billion-dollar facility, to be located about 161kms west of Detroit, is expected to create about 2,500 jobs, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t yet public. The agreement could be announced as soon as this week, they said.