Ford turning SUV factory into Hybrid/EV factory [View All]

[tinrobot]

WAYNE, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. stripped "truck" from the name of one its Detroit-area plants Wednesday as it announced plans to build its next-generation Focus here, including a battery-electric version Ford expects will run up to 100 miles without using gas or emitting greenhouse gas.

While Chrysler LLC sells assets in a New York bankruptcy court, and General Motors Corp. works around the clock on ways to cut labor costs and debt before a government imposed deadline, Chairman Bill Ford Jr. and CEO Alan Mulally announced plans to invest $550 million to retool the Michigan Truck plant so it can make small cars it will sell worldwide.

"In the worst of times worldwide, we're here today to celebrate a plan to profitably grow Ford," Mulally said. "We're fighting for the soul of manufacturing in the United States of America and worldwide."

Mulally said that the Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker would build more than 2 million vehicles a year on its small C-car platform globally.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/06/ford-takes-steps-to-mass_n_198009.html