BlueOval Battery Park Michigan

FAQ

General Questions

What is BlueOval Battery Park Michigan? Ford is establishing a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Marshall, Mich., called BlueOval Battery Park Michigan. This plant will be run by BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, a wholly owned Ford subsidiary.
Ford anticipates that BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will create more than 1,700 jobs. BlueOval Battery Park Michigan plans an annual LFP battery production capacity of approximately 20 gigawatt hours, with production starting in 2026. The batteries built at the facility will power Ford’s future electric vehicles.

When will the plant begin producing batteries? Production is scheduled to begin in 2026.

How large is BlueOval Battery Park Michigan? The facility will be nearly 1.8 million square feet, comprising a cell plant and a pack plant. Additional support buildings will take the total operation to approximately 2 million square feet. BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will span 500 acres, with another 230 acres originally set aside for Ford now available to the Marshall Area Economic Development Authority for future commercial activity.

When did construction begin? Construction began in mid-2023.

When will construction be complete? Construction is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026.

Why was the Marshall chosen for this project? Ford conducted a thorough site selection process, considering sites in several states and countries. The analysis included numerous factors including cost, location and labor availability, among many others.

How many jobs will this create? Ford anticipates that BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will create more than 1,700 jobs.

Will Ford hire locally for roles at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan? Ford wants local communities around the plant to benefit from the jobs and other opportunities this plant will create. We anticipate that there will be significant new employment opportunities for members of the local community with the right skills and training.

How is the business relationship structured with CATL? BlueOval Battery Michigan, a wholly owned Ford subsidiary, will manufacture the battery cells as well as own and control the plant. Ford engineers will integrate these LFP battery cells into Ford’s future electric vehicles. CATL, the world’s largest battery producer, has specific expertise in LFP battery technology. Their only involvement will be as a licensor of battery cell technology to Ford and a contracted service provider.

Stormwater Management
How will stormwater impact to the Kalamazoo River be minimized? Protecting the environmental and local community, including the Kalamazoo River, is of utmost importance to Ford. To minimize and avoid stormwater runoff, the Marshall Area Economic Development Authority is installing a stormwater management system to serve the entire campus. The goal is for runoff rates to be equal to or less than they were pre-development.

What is stormwater? Stormwater refers to water generated during a precipitation event like rain, hail or snow melt.

What can you tell us about the drainage culverts that are being repaired along the Kalamazoo River? Two drainage culverts that ran under the railroad track to the Kalamazoo River received stormwater from the site prior to our re-development activities. These culverts were severely deteriorated, were undersized even for pre-development conditions and therefore needed to be removed and replaced. The two culverts were 5-foot-by-three-foot box culverts. Two 6-foot-diameter culverts replaced the original culverts in the same general locations and will receive stormwater from the detention/infiltration basin.

The culvert design was reviewed by MDOT and Amtrack as part of the permit process that is required for the culvert crossing under the railroad track. In addition, EGLE reviewed the construction plans performed a field review, determining that a stormwater permit was not required for construction since no environmental impacts to wetlands would occur.

Minimal tree removal was required in the area immediately around the culvert crossings. Tree replacement will not take place in these areas as they will need to remain clear to allow access for periodic maintenance and inspection of the culverts. Trees are being planted as part of the berm that was constructed on the southern edge of the site.

How will the soil, groundwater and the Kalamazoo River be protected from any contamination? Protecting groundwater and the Kalamazoo River is a priority. Ford is utilizing its more than 120 years of manufacturing knowledge to ensure this facility will incorporate proven environmental safeguards, designs, structures and construction specifications to carefully control materials used in the manufacturing process and prevent them from having any contact with stormwater runoff or nearby natural water bodies and soil. The plant is still being designed, but examples include chemical storage structures that have safety features such as emergency secondary containment systems.

As an added precaution, before beginning operation, BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will develop and implement a detailed Spill Control and Countermeasures Plan and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, which will detail strategies and practices, such as chemical storage containment structures, maintenance programs, and regular inspections to identify, eliminate and mitigate any risks to the environment.

Utilities
Where will the water that the plant will use be pulled from? Public water is planned for manufacturing and sanitary needs and Ford is working with the city of Marshall as well as the city of Battle Creek to secure the required water.

How much water will be used at the BOBPM plant? Ford’s commitment to sustainability includes both what we build and how we build. The design for this facility is still under development, but Ford remains committed to its goal of reducing the impacts of its operations and supply chain through world-class facilities like this one and expanding our efforts to reduce waste and to conserve water and energy.

Air Emissions
How will the air be protected from BlueOval Battery Park Michigan’s emissions? Ford believes that everyone is entitled to breathe clean air. Minimizing air pollution is vital to protecting people and the environment and we intend to bring these principles to the design of our facility in Marshall. Before it can operate or even test any equipment, the plant must first obtain an air emissions permit that meets requirements from U.S. EPA and the state of Michigan. The permit will subject the plant to stringent operating controls, periodic agency inspections, and public reporting requirements to help protect air quality.

During operation, Ford will implement a detailed environmental management system, based off the stringent environmental performance criteria of ISO 14001, designed to prevent negative impacts on the environment. The system will provide a set of best practices and procedures to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and permits and consistently evaluate and improve environmental performance throughout the operation of the facility.

What level and type of odors are expected to be emitted from the plant? In general, battery manufacturing plants have not been associated with odor concerns. As such, Ford does not anticipate that the Marshall plant will emit unpleasant odors. The plant will have an air permit issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy that includes all of its requirements to comply with the Clean Air Act and Michigan air quality regulations. The plant will be equipped with air abatement equipment that is designed to comply with all applicable air emission restrictions, including removing any potential odors.

Permits
What permit applications have been submitted to EGLE? An air permit application for the facility has been submitted to EGLE. Additionally, after the City of Marshall adopts its final Industrial Pretreatment Program ensuring compliance with the Clean Water Act requirements, Ford will apply for, and Marshall will approve, an industrial wastewater discharge permit under that program prior to the discharge of any industrial wastewater from the plant. In the future, we anticipate obtaining a Certificate of Coverage (COC) under a general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for industrial stormwater discharge before the plant starts operating.

In addition, MAEDA has received permits related to its mass grading activities at the site, including a Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) permit from Calhoun County and a Notice of Coverage from EGLE, which is authorization to discharge storm water from construction activities under NPDES.