Ford halted construction on its $3.5 billion electric vehicle factory in Marshall, Michigan starting Monday, according to media reports.
“We are stopping work and will limit construction spending at Marshall until we are confident in our ability to operate the plant competitively,” Ford spokesman TR Reid told The Detroit News.
The automaker told The Detroit News there were “a number of considerations” behind its decision.
Ford’s announcement comes as the company is still dealing with the ongoing United Auto Workers strike against it, GM and stellar. Now in its twelfth day, the strike has significantly affected all three automakers, shutting down plants and laying off workers.
President Joe Biden is heading to Michigan on Tuesday to show his support for the strike. The administration has not announced whether it will meet with automakers during its visit.
The automaker announced plans to build the electric vehicle plant in February, part of a $50 billion effort to grow its electric vehicle business over the next few years. The plant is intended to make lithium iron phosphate EV batteries and was scheduled to begin production in 2026.
The Marshall facility is expected to employ 2,500 workers, with enough production capacity to build batteries to power 400,000 electric vehicles a year.
