Ford is making one of its boldest moves yet in the electric vehicle race. Earlier this week, the automaker announced a $2 billion investment to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant into a hub for its next generation of affordable EVs.
The first model out of the revamped factory will be a midsize electric pickup truck, starting at $30,000 and slated for launch in 2027. But Ford CEO Jim Farley was candid during the announcement: “There are no guarantees with this project. We’re doing so many new things, I can’t tell you with 100% certainty that this will all go just right; it is a bet. There is risk.”
Related: Ford Bets $2B on Radical EV Factory Overhaul in Kentucky
That bet is centered on a skunkworks team that spent years reimagining how to build EVs profitably in the U.S. The result: a radical new three-part assembly process using unicastings and greater automation, designed to cut costs and streamline production. It’s a sharp break from the century-old manufacturing system that made Ford a household name.
Still, the gamble comes with constraints. This new manufacturing approach is tied directly to the design of the vehicles themselves, meaning it can’t easily be applied to Ford’s other factories. In effect, Ford is committing to a $5 billion experiment, $2 billion in Louisville and $3 billion for its new LFP battery plant, aimed at keeping EV production, and jobs, in the U.S.
With tariffs, slower-than-expected EV demand, and rising competition from China pressuring the industry, Ford’s move is as much about survival as it is about innovation. Whether this bet pays off could determine the company’s place in the next era of the auto industry.
