Ford Motor Co., has inaugurated its most advanced factory inside its 92-year old Rogue complex in Dearborn last week to start the construction of its electric truck. The factory will be employing autonomous transport sleds and robots working with humans to build the F-150 electric truck. The sleds will pick truck structures from one point to the other, whereas robots will assist in assembling them.
Ford plans to complete the construction work by next summer and then start the development of the prototypes.
The company is investing $700 million to update the Rouge complex in pursuit to retain its decade’s old dominance in the pickup truck segment. The company shipped 900,000 F-series trucks till last year, and now its focus is more on its rival electric trucks from Tesla, Rivian, and Nikola Corps.
Ford plans to launch the F-150 electric truck in 2022, and once out, it will be the fastest and stoutest pickup they have ever created. It will also be able to work as a mobile generator to power a job site or a home.
“This isn’t a gimmick,” Chief Operating Officer and future CEO Jim Farley said during a ceremonial at the Rouge on Thursday. “It’s a workhorse, not a show horse destined for a shiny garage filled with four other luxury cars.”
The new facility will span over 500,000 square-foot and generate 300 new employments. The center will also develop a gasoline-electric hybrid model of the F-150 that will arrive in the market before the F-150 electric truck.
“It sets the Rouge up with a long-term vision with new technology and battery-electric products with our most important vehicle,” Johnson stated.
Source and Image: GulfNews