The concept of an all-electric Ford F-150 has been anticipated for a while, and the automaker is taking the first steps to move from a concept to production. In a press release, Ford confirmed plans to begin construction of the new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, the facility in which it will build the F-150 EV by mid-2022.
Once the manufacturing plant is complete, the automaker will add 300 jobs as part of its $700 million investment in the new F-150 lineup. Ford is also set to launch the first-ever F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid. The hybrid and the all-electric model will undergo production at the Rogue facility along with battery assembly.
The automaker also announced the start of production of the all-new F-150 pickup. The newly redesigned truck is set to hit showrooms starting in November.
“We are proud to once again build and innovate for the future here at the Rouge with the debut of our all-new F-150 and the construction of a modern new manufacturing center to build the first-ever all-electric F-150,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. “This year’s COVID-19 crisis made it clear why it is so important for companies like Ford to help keep our U.S. manufacturing base strong and help our country get back to work.”
Related: Rivian R1T Tops List of Most Anticipated Electric Trucks
The arrival of the F-150 EV pickup shows that Ford is ready to compete with General 
Motors as they prepare to launch the new Hummer EV Pickup. Along with the GM, Ford will also compete with other electric-truck makers such as Bollinger, Lordstown, Nikola, Rivian, and Tesla as the market continues to grow.
The automaker set the stage for the new electric truck, saying it “will feature dual electric motors targeted to deliver more horsepower and torque than any F-150 available today, the fastest acceleration and the ability to tow heavy trailers.” As a mobile power source, the truck will be able to power job sites as well as campsites when needed. Unlike a typical gasoline engine, the electric model will require a substantially lower amount of maintenance. The automaker says this will create 40% savings for its lifetime total cost of operations. The new F-150 EV pickup will also include a massive front truck to add even more cargo space to store more valuable items.
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