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The plant, which officially began production Aug. 19, was originally intended to support Ford’s own EV business.

The plan is part of what Farley called a “tremendous pivot” away from its earlier strategy of electrifying its largest models, which it largely abandoned a year ago.

Ford warned profit this year will see a sharp drop on the growing fallout from President Donald Trump’s tariffs, underscoring the policy shifts in Washington that are upending the auto industry.

U.S. automakers face a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum and a 25% tariff on parts and finished vehicles, with some exceptions for products covered under the USMCA that went into effect in 2020.

Ford is recalling almost 700,000 vehicles to address a long-running issue over cracking in an auto part that can leak fuel into the engine and cause fires.

Ford's cheapest EV can be had for just shy of $38,000. That’s 22% less than Americans pay for a car on average. Even with EV purchase incentives scrapped, Ford promises lower prices.

Ford is recalling more than 850,000 of its cars because the low-pressure fuel pump inside the vehicles may fail — and potentially cause an engine stall while driving, increasing crash risks.

A spokesperson said the Michigan facility is on schedule to open next year and will ultimately employ 1,700 workers as the company had projected when it downsized the project in late 2023.

“It would be a shame to build these facilities and then all of a sudden you have to scale back on the most important part of it, which is people,” a Ford vice president told reporters.

Ford continues to struggle to obtain rare earth magnet supplies that are essential to car production and have already forced a temporary shutdown of one of its factories.