Ford Motor Company announced today that its Kansas City Assembly Plant will build the all-new E-Transit van, part of a more than $3.2 billion investment in Ford’s North American manufacturing facilities to produce a series of new electric vehicles for commercial and retail customers.
The new E-Transit will join the all-electric F-150 and EV Mustang Mach-E, which support Ford’s plan of future vehicle electrification, according to Ford. The all-electric F-150, which will be assembled at the new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich., arrives in mid-2022. The E-Transit arrives in late 2021.
Ford’s is building out its manufacturing footprint across North America to lead the transition to electric vehicles and meet consumer demand in the coming years. Electric vehicles are a key part of Ford’s commitment to meet the requirements of the Paris Accord and achieve carbon neutrality globally by 2050.
Ford is investing an additional $100 million in its Kansas City plant and adding approximately 150 full-time permanent jobs to build the E-Transit, a zero-emissions version of Transit.
The all-electric E-Transit will be unveiled Thursday and arrives in late 2021. The electric van investment in Kansas City is in addition to the $300 million Ford invested for the launch this year of the all-new F-150 at that plant. The plant employs approximately 7,500 workers.
E-Transit is part of Ford’s more than $11.5 billion global investment in electrification through 2022.
Ford is also investing approximately $150 million in Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Southeast Michigan to build e-motors and e-transaxles beginning in 2021.This will retain 225 jobs at the plant.
Given the strong early interest in Ford’s all-electric F-150 since the September announcement, Ford is now increasing production plans by 50% versus original plans. To deliver more fully electric trucks, Ford will add 200 new jobs in addition to the 300 jobs previously announced for the new electric F-150.
In addition to electric vehicle manufacturing sites for trucks and vans in the U.S., the company also is investing $1.35 billion to transform its Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario starting in 2024 to include next-generation battery-electric vehicles. Ford also is planning to produce an additional electrified vehicle at its plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, where the Mustang Mach-E is produced.
