Ford, which wants to build up a “core competency” in battery technology (but has previously farmed out much of its battery vehicle development to companies such as Magna International and Azure Dynamics) said Tuesday that it plans to take its battery pack development in-house. In that, it is following a path laid down by General Motors, which is building packs for the Volt (but, despite a huge new battery center, not the cells inside them).
Ford is also looking for some changes to Michigan’s EV tax policy, if it is to agree to invest $300 to $500 million in the state to build its next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars there. Specifically, Ford wants assurances that Michigan’s $500 tax credit on battery EVs (worth up to $135 million) will also apply to hybrids.
It’s not just millions of dollars in investment Ford is offering, but also 1,000 direct regional jobs.
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