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In its latest setback, Ford is cutting back on another significant EV investment. The company is scaling back plans at its $3.5B EV battery plant in Michigan as it adjusts to market demand.

Ford said it was “re-timing and resizing some investments” in a statement Tuesday. Although it remains bullish on its long-term strategy, Ford is reducing its investment and cutting jobs at its Michigan EV battery plant.

The company is cutting production capacity at the facility by over 40%. Ford now expects the facility to produce around 20 GWh, a big difference from the 35 GWh initially expected.

Ford is also reducing its investment in the facility by nearly $1.5B while cutting the expected number of jobs to 1,700.

After announcing the facility in Marshall, MI, this February, initial plans called for:

  • 2,500 new jobs
  • 35 GWh annual output of LFP batteries, starting in 2026
  • 400,000 EVs in 2026, or 20% of Ford’s expected 2M output.

Those plans are now being scaled back drastically. The plant will now produce enough LFP batteries for around 230,000 EVs annually.

Ford-F-150-Lightning-Family
Ford F-150 Lightning lineup (Source: Ford)

Ford’s chief communications officer, Mark Truby, told reporters (via Bloomberg) that EV adoption “is not growing at the pace” they expected. Truby said Ford wants to be “really disciplined” about spending and matching future demand.

Ford to scale back Michigan EV plant in latest setback

Ford’s EV plant in Michigan was quickly targeted over its partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL. Plans called for Ford to own the plant while licensing CATL’s tech to build the LFP batteries.

The move is part of Ford’s plans to scale back EV investments. Ford said it was delaying its 600,000 run rate goal until next year over the summer.

Ford-Michigan-EV-battery-plant
Ford F-150 Lightning production (Source: Ford)

More recently, it cut one of three shifts at its Rouge EV complex, where the F-150 Lightning is built. Ford’s CFO John Lawler explained last month the company has also “taken out some Mach-E production.

Lawler added that Ford is “slowing down several investments, including making a decision with SK On to delay the second BlueOval SK JV battery plant in Kentucky.”

Ford is pushing back around $12 billion in spending on EVs. Sales of Ford’s electric pickup fell 46% in Q3. The company lost around $36,000 on every EV sold during the quarter.

Ford-Michigan-EV-plant
2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)

Truby said the decision was based on “demand and the expected growth for EVs, our business plans, our product cycle plans,” and the ability to create a sustainable plant.

He added, “Labor costs was one of the factors we were looking at.” Ford reached an agreement with the UAW, which increased wages by 25%.

Despite this, Ford said it plans to move ahead with the project. It expects to begin producing LFP battery cells in 2026.

Electrek’s Take

Plans to scale back its Michigan EV battery plant is the latest setback for Ford. The company continues delaying EV investments alongside rival General Motors.

GM revealed it was pushing back production of the Equinox, Silverado, and GMC Sierra Denali EVs last month. Following a four-year run, it’s also not planning to promote its EVs during the 2024 Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, rivals, including Hyundai and Volvo, are doubling down as they work to expand their brands.

Hyundai surpassed GM and Ford in EV sales in Q3. Including Kia, Hyundai claimed 7.5% of the market, while GM’s Chevy (5.9%) and Ford (5.5%) fell in the rankings.

Jose Munoz, Hyundai’s global president, told Reuters last week, “Based on what I see, I need more. If I had more capacity today, I could sell more cars.”

Meanwhile, Volvo expects its smallest and cheapest electric SUV, the EX30 (check out our review), to keep momentum rolling next year.

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QOTD: is Volvo planning a low cost, electric Robotaxi rival?

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QOTD: is Volvo planning a low cost, electric Robotaxi rival?

It’s probably nothing. Just a playful post on social media from a random Volvo account celebrating an obscure concept car from the early aughts. It couldn’t possibly mean that Volvo is actually going to build the thing … right?

The post in question went live on the Volvo Cars Heritage Facebook feed last week, and it was simple enough. You can check it out for yourself, below.



See? Just a few pictures of the 3CC, a concept that Volvo designers at the time intended to be “future proof” and developed with an eye towards sustainability. It was an early hybrid, with regenerative braking and slick aerodynamics along with gullwing doors and a 1+2 seating arrangement to ease entry and egress.

Nothing to get that excited about, right? Except – why the (wink wink, nudge nudge) at the end? Could Volvo really be dropping wild hints about new product on their museum site? Is that wild speculation, wishful thinking, or just sloppy reporting?

Well, as the newly-minted “Weekend Editor” here at Electrek (thanks, Fred!), there’s no one to rein me in until Monday morning, at the earliest – so we’re gonna run with it, whatever it is.

It sure looks like a Robotaxi

I’m not going to accuse Elon of stealing design ideas from Volvo any more than I’m going to accuse Volvo of stealing the 3CC concept’s design from the OG Honda CRX HF. That said, they really do seem to share some conceptual DNA, don’t they?

OK, so we’ve got some convergent evolution here – safe to say. But on the automation side of things? On the real, “the stock is worth basically zero if true self driving isn’t achieved” side of the equation?

There’s some convergent evolution there, too, because while Tesla’s been developing its highly publicized FSD software, Volvo’s parent company, Geely, has been working hand in hand with Alphabet (read: Google) to develop their own fully autonomous taxi for Waymo through the ZEEKR brand.

Is it really that crazy to imagine an updated 3CC concept fitted with the same Waymo sensor array they’re putting on Hyundais (read about that here) being shown off just in time to steal Tesla’s thunder from October 10th? Especially on the heels of the EX30’s growing success in Europe?

It’s not – and think that’s exactly what’s going to happen. That’s my take, anyway. What’s yours? Head on down to the comments and let us know if you think Volvo has what it takes to launch a Robotaxi rival in the comments.

ORIGINAL CONTENT FROM ELECTREK.

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E-quipment highlight: JLG E313 electric telehandler

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E-quipment highlight: JLG E313 electric telehandler

Designed for both all-terrain and off-road use, the all-electric E313 telehandler from JLG is a new, low-noise solution for moving materials around indoor construction, urban, residential, and municipal projects.

With a 3,500-pound maximum lift capacity and 13-foot maximum lift height with a five foot forward reach, the new JLG E313 is a first-of-its-kind all electric telehandler designed to silently load and unload trucks and flatbeds, moving materials around, or accessing work at-height in single-story work environments.

Oh, and it can do all those things indoors.

“As job sites evolve, machines need to evolve with them,” says John Boehme, JLG’s senior product manager for telehandlers. “Our new E313 electric-powered telehandler transforms how work is done in emission-free spaces and noise-sensitive environments by delivering a quieter, more efficient working experience.”

Based on the AUSA 4 meter/1,600 kg T164E battery powered electric telehandler, the JLG version ships with JLG’s universal skid-steer coupler system. That allows the E313 to attach to various existing JLG telehandler and skid-steer loader attachments, including carriages, forks, and buckets. The E313 also features an integrated hitch for hauling tools and trailers around the job site, increasing job efficiency by reducing the need for additional tractors on-site.

Charged up

The E313 uses six 48V lithium ion batteries sending power to an electric motor mated to a two speed transmission with two wheel drive and steer. The 18.6 kWh battery pack (6 x 3.1 kWh batteries) is good for up to four hours of continuous run time, and can be recharged in two to three hours on a L2 AC charger, or overnight on standard 100V.

JLG’s ClearSky Smart Fleet telematics management system is standard.

SOURCE | IMAGES: JLG, via Heavy Equipment Guide.

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Bollinger delivers first B4 electric work trucks to customers

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Bollinger delivers first B4 electric work trucks to customers

It’s got a long way to go, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – and the first delivery of Bollinger B4 electric trucks to Nacarato Truck Centers is now in the history books!

With the delivery of the first five 2025 Bollinger B4 Chassis Cabs to Nacarato Truck Centers earlier this week, Bollinger Motors is officially generating revenue as an OEM. The MSRP of these first-ever customer B4s totaled fully $800,000.

The delivery comes just a few days after the official start of Bollinger production began at the company’s Livonia, Michigan production center.

The newly delivered B4 Chassis Cabs feature 158-kwh battery packs sending power to an energy efficient, 323 hp electric motor that produces 675 lb-ft of torque at 0 rpm, giving the big trucks surprising off-the-line performance and all the power they need to get the job done.

Nacarato Truck Centers will sell four vehicles to commercial fleet customers and use one vehicle for its own internal parts deliveries between across its 13 locations.

Dealers make the difference

Our nationwide dealership network is one of our core strengths, and with partners like Nacarato Truck Centers, our customers’ sales and service needs are in good hands,” said Jim Connelly, chief revenue officer for Bollinger Motors. “We are excited to see the B4 going to work on the streets of the Nashville area, and across the country.”

The 2025 Bollinger B4 Chassis Cab carries a $158,758 MSRP, and qualifies for federal clean vehicle tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act of $40,000 per vehicle for the B4 Chassis Cab. Additional rebates may be available in your area, so reach out to your local Bollinger dealer for more information.

Connelley was good enough to join us as a guest on Quick Charge last week after the start of B4 production was announced, and we think it’s worth sharing that episode again, below, for anyone who missed it. Enjoy!

Bollinger CRO Jim Connelley on Quick Charge

SOURCE | IMAGES: Bollinger Motors; via email.

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