Ford Withdraws From Mexico; Will Build Hybrid F-150 and Mustang
A chain of news reveals big plans for the manufacturer.
Ford revealed a one-two punch earlier in the day by announcing that they will shift their gears towards USA production and hybrid development. President-Elect Donald Trump has recently blamed the company for outboarding manufacturing to Mexico for cheaper labor and production, but that's now about to change. With this news, Ford will invest $700 million into their Flat Rock Michigan Plant, adding up to 700 jobs for American workers.
This news comes as a result of Trump's threats to lay a heavy tax on Ford Motor Company for outsourcing vehicle production. As of now, the North American Free Trade Agreement protects Ford from such penalties, but Trump shows intent of working through or around the obstacle to keep the manufacturer from doing so. Trump made similar claims in regards to Chevrolet as well, promising a "big border tax" if they fail to comply with his guidelines. In addition to their decision to stay rooted in the United States, Ford also disclosed plans of more hybrid cars (and trucks) in their future.
To much of our surprise, Ford will soon build a hybrid F-150 and Mustang. This is slightly shocking as they've had such great success with their Ecoboost technology, making it a bit of a wonder why they would sprout off in the hybrid direction -- at least so soon. Ford CEO Mark Fields confirmed the news, also stating that the V8 Mustang is included in the plan. Fields gave a brief synopsis for Ford's future over the next four years by releasing the following list:
•The hybrid F-150 will feature improved payload and towing capacity from the current model while serving as a mobile generator. It will be produced at the Dearborn Michigan Plant by 2020.
•Mustang Hybrid will be built by 2020 at the Flat Rock Facility, providing low-end grunt in excessive of current numbers.
•Fresh, completely electric crossover by 2020. Fields states that this will be a "breakthrough" for the company.
•Transit Custom plug-in hybrid for Europe in 2019.
•Two new hybrid Police vehicles, both built in the US with one being manufactured in Chicago.
•Four fully-autonomous vehicles by the year 2021, promoting ride sharing. Will be built in Michigan.
This outline makes for a monumental future towards efficient performance and transport. Ford was early to the eco-friendly mindset as they've focused heavily on Ecoboost vehicles since 2012, proving their commitment towards cleaner autos. With the addition of hyrbid assistance, these attempts should be even more successful than before.
