Ford’s $3B Battery Plant Faces Uncertainty Amid Subsidy Threats and Political Scrutiny

Ford's joint venture battery plant in Michigan, initially slated for a $3 billion investment, now faces significant headwinds. The facility—designed to produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with technology licensed from China's CATL—has become a political lightning rod. EV market slowdowns forced Ford to scale back the project to $2.2 billion, cutting jobs from 2,500 to 1,700. Subsidies, once promised at $1 billion, have been halved.

LFP batteries remain crucial for affordable EVs, offering cost and longevity advantages over nickel-cobalt alternatives. But the partnership with CATL, viewed skeptically by lawmakers over alleged CCP ties, jeopardizes remaining incentives. The specter of Trump-era manufacturing credit cuts looms, potentially derailing Ford's electrification roadmap.