Ford Plans $1.6B Investment in Ohio to Build EVs

AVON LAKE, Ohio— Ford Motor Co. announced today that it would invest $3.7 billion in manufacturing plants across three states mostly to enhance its electric-vehicle portfolio, including a $1.6 billion investment in Ohio.

Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and JobsOhio joined representatives from Ford today to announce that the automaker would invest $1.5 billion into Lorain County at the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake to assemble an all-new commercial electric vehicle. This investment will create 1,800 new hourly jobs.

Ford also announced that another $100 million would be invested in its Lima Engine Plant and Sharonville Transmission plants, creating 90 more jobs.

“The ingenuity and talent of Ohio’s automotive workforce are second to none, and Ford’s investment in Avon Lake will play an essential role in growing the EV space,” DeWine said. “Ford has been a partner in Ohio for generations, and its confidence in the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant operations secures EV operations in Lorain County that will be critical for decades to come.” 

The expanded Avon Lake facility will continue producing Ford’s E-series van, medium-duty trucks and super duty chassis cabs.

“There are many wonderful aspects to a day like today, but the special news for Northeast Ohio is that there will be 1,800 new, good-paying jobs with health care benefits and the higher quality of life and job security that comes along with it,” Husted said. “Governor DeWine and I are glad Ford chose Ohio to help manufacture this EV vehicle, continuing the region’s extensive legacy in automotive innovation.”

Construction on the Avon Lake plant is expected to begin later this year; assembly on the commercial electric vehicle is expected to begin in mid-decade.

“Ohio is one of the world’s great automotive hubs and a key manufacturing state that has been central to Ford since we first opened Ohio Assembly Plant in 1958,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Ford Blue. “Ford is proud to assemble more vehicles and employ more union autoworkers in the U.S. than any other auto manufacturer, and our commitment to the state of Ohio deepens today with the creation of 1,800 union jobs and $1.5 billion investment to build an all-new commercial EV at Ohio Assembly Plant.”

The Ford Motor Co., DeWine-Husted administration, the Ohio Department of Development, the city of Avon Lake, Lorain County, state and local elected officials, and Ohio’s congressional delegation all collaborated with JobsOhio to bring the project to Avon Lake.

“The Avon Lake facility represents the automotive heritage of Ohio and our world-class labor workforce and also our shared commitment with Ford to advancing innovation as we transition – together – to the EV space for future production,” said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “As manufacturing continues to evolve in Lorain County, JobsOhio and our partners are committed to protecting and growing Ohio’s automotive industry by positioning the state as a global EV leader.”

Ford operates facilities in Avon Lake, Brook Park, Lima, and Sharonville and has more than 7,000 employees in the state.

“Today’s investment by Ford in Avon Lake is a testament to the world-class workforce in Lorain County and Northeast Ohio,” said State Sen. Nathan Manning, R-13.

To support the expansion of the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority will consider a tax credit at a future meeting, and JobsOhio also plans to provide grant assistance.

Ford also on Thursday announced the following projects:

• Michigan: $2 billion investment and 3,200 union jobs including the creation of nearly 2,000 jobs throughout three assembly plants in Michigan to increase production of the all-new F-150 Lightning electric truck to 150,000 per year at Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, produce an all-new Ranger pickup at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne and an all-new Mustang coupe at Flat Rock Assembly Plant. The investment also includes $35 million to build an all-new Ford Customer Service Division packaging facility in Monroe that will create more than 600 union jobs, with operations expected to begin in 2024 to help accelerate parts shipments for Ford customers

• Missouri: $95 million investment and 1,100 union jobs for a third shift at Kansas City Assembly Plant to increase production of the Transit, America’s best-selling commercial van, and the all-new E-Transit electric van.

Pictured at top: The 2022 Ford E-Transit

Photo: Courtesy of Ford

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