Ford Ion Park in Southeastern MI is New Global Battery Center

Engineers measure the voltage of a battery at what was Ford’s Battery Benchmarking and Test Laboratory in Allen Park MI.

Ford said Romulus will be the home to its new global battery center based in southeast Michigan. So-called Ion Park is working on the research and development of battery and battery cell technology, including future battery manufacturing. This is a $100 million part of a small $185 million investment in developing, testing, and building vehicle battery cells and cell arrays. There are taxpayer subsidies here through the  Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Ion Park will explore both lithium ion and solid-state battery cells and arrays. Ford will refurbish an existing 270,000 sq.-ft. facility. It will have a cross-functional team of up to 200 engineers, researchers, purchasing and finance staff. Ford Ion Park is critical in wisely spending the stockholder’s $30 billion investment in electrification by 2025. Politically it is part of a renewed commitment to making Michigan a centerpiece of its focus on electric vehicles.

Ford will assemble its all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning, with foreign and domestics parts, at the Rouge buy valium online pharmacy Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich. Ford also renamed its half-century-old Van Dyke Transmission Plant in May to the Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center. It is in the process of expanding its production line to produce electric motors and electric transaxles for hybrid and fully electric vehicles. (AutoInformed on Ford to Up Electrification Spend to $30B by 2025. Wants 40% All-Electric Global Volume By 2030; US Battery Electric Vehicle Market – Progress or Proliferation? Tesla has a 75% Share. Is the Nissan Leaf a Best Buy?; EV Pickup! Ford is Betting Lightning Can Strike Twice; Ford Introduces All-Electric F-150 Lightning Pro – Bring Money)

“Ford already is delivering on our plan to lead the electric revolution with strong new vehicles including Mustang Mach-E, 2022 E-Transit available late 2021 and the 2022 F-150 Lightning available from spring next year,” claimed Anand Sankaran, Ford Ion Park director. “The new lab will help Ford speed up the battery development process to deliver even more capable, affordable batteries and is part of Ford’s renewed commitment to making Michigan a centerpiece of its focus on EVs.”