Ford Motors, facing an onslaught of competition for its new battery-powered F-150 pickup, unveiled the high-tech factory that will produce the electric truck using self-driving transport sleds and robots collaborating with human workers.
The plant is going up inside Ford’s 92-year-old Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan, and will be the “most advanced facility we’ve got in the world”, manufacturing chief Gary Johnson told reporters in a briefing on Wednesday. The autonomous sleds will transport truck bodies from one station to the next, while robots will help to assemble the vehicles. The factory is scheduled to be completed next summer and begin building prototype electric F-150s.
Ford is spending $700 million (Dh2.57bn) to overhaul its Rouge complex as it wages a pitched battle to maintain decades of dominance in the pickup section of the market. Today, it began building a redesigned version of its gasoline-fueled F-150, the company’s biggest money maker. Though it sold almost 900,000 F-Series trucks last year, Ford is playing catch-up with more recently revamped versions of its primary rivals: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram and General Motors’ Chevrolet Silverado.
The second-largest US automaker also is seeking to stake a substantial claim to the emerging market for electric trucks, which has seen a rash of new entrants, including Tesla’s Cybertruck, Rivian Automotive’s R1T and Nikola Corporation’s Badger.
Ford said its electric truck, set to go on sale in 2022, will be the fastest and most powerful pickup it has ever produced. The car maker cast its competitors as “lifestyle trucks”, saying the electric F-150 will double as a mobile generator capable of powering a job site or the driver’s home.
“This isn’t a gimmick,” chief operating officer and future chief executive Jim Farley was scheduled to say during a ceremony at the plant on Thursday. “It’s a workhorse, not a showhorse destined for a shiny garage filled with four other luxury cars.”
The automaker’s research found “very substantial demand” that “focused on the work customer”, Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of the Americas and international markets, told reporters on Wednesday. “It was enough for us to make this investment both in the product as well as the factory.”
The new 500,000 square-foot Rouge Electric Vehicle centre will create 300 new jobs and also produce a gasoline-electric hybrid version of the F-150 that will go on sale sooner than the electric truck.
The two electrified models represent the future of the F-Series, according to the company.
“It sets the Rouge up with a long-term vision with new technology and battery-electric products with our most important vehicle,” Mr Johnson said.
Ford shares pared a gain of as much as 1 per cent to trade up 0.4 per cent to $7.04 as of 5:43pm UAE time on Thursday evening.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
More from Neighbourhood Watch
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Twin%20electric%20motors%20and%20105kWh%20battery%20pack%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E619hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C015Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUp%20to%20561km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQ3%20or%20Q4%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh635%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
