(Photo courtesy of Michigan Executive Office of the Governor)
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday joined Ford leadership, Director of UAW Region 1A Laura Dickerson, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Congressman Dan Kildee at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, to announce that Ford’s electric vehicle facility is complete, and the first F-150 Lightning pre-production trucks are leaving the factory for real-world testing. Ford also announced plans to invest an additional $250 million to create 450 jobs in Dearborn, Ypsilanti, and Sterling Heights to support the production of the new F-150 Lightning.
“We’re standing on the edge of an era of electrification that will be built in factories like this one by hardworking UAW members and the innovative minds at Ford,” said Whitmer. “I am proud of Ford for committing to invest $250 million today to create 450 jobs in Dearborn, Ypsilanti, and Sterling Heights that will support production of the new, all-electric F-150 Lightning. Their efforts will help us reach my statewide goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050 and create good-paying jobs along the way. I will stay laser-focused at the state-level on making investments in the future of mobility and electrification, and together, we can create good-paying, high-skill union jobs and lead the world in electric vehicle development and manufacturing.”
“Electrifying the F-Series – America’s best-selling truck for 44 years – and assembling it at this high-tech facility in Michigan – represents a significant step toward mass adoption of electric vehicles in America,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of The Americas and International Markets Group. “F-150 Lightning is intended to be more than a no-compromise zero tailpipe-emissions truck. It’s packed with ingenious features and technology that will improve over time, it’s exhilarating to drive and it can power your home and worksite.”
“Today’s announcement is a great example of the right way to navigate the transition to tomorrow's vehicles by ensuring good-paying jobs of the future – investing in building vehicles in the United States, with the hard-working men and women of the UAW,”?said Laura Dickerson, UAW Region 1A director. “Investments like this can pave the way to a future that protects our families, our communities and our middle class. Ford is doing this the right way with the F-150 Lightning?–?creating 450 additional UAW-represented jobs. Ford is investing in this all-electric F-150 Lightning, as well as hybrid and gas F-150 versions, as consumer demands shift. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”?
Since Whitmer took office, a record 15,000 good-paying auto jobs have been created in the state of Michigan, including the first Detroit auto plant in 30 years, cementing Michigan’s status as a global manufacturing leader. Michigan continues to lead the world in the automotive space, receiving multiple awards for our manufacturing capabilities and potential.
Last year, Whitmer created the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification to coordinate all auto and mobility-related initiatives across state government, including economic development, workforce development, and infrastructure, to secure Michigan’s status as a global leader in autonomous, connected, electric, and shared future mobility.
In September of 2020, Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-182 and Executive Directive 2020-10 to create the MI Healthy Climate Plan. The governor’s comprehensive plan protects Michiganders’ public health and the environment and help develop new clean energy jobs by putting Michigan on a path towards becoming fully carbon-neutral by 2050. The MI Healthy Climate Plan, a plan to move all sectors of our economy to carbon neutral by 2050 and ensures marginalized communities impacted by climate change will benefit from our energy transition.
Earlier this year, Whitmer announced grants for 88 electric vehicle charging sites across Michigan, to expand the statewide charging network and support electric vehicles and Wedensday announced the first round of Michigan Mobility Funding Platform grants to accelerate mobility and EV investments in the state.
