Stanton, Tenn.–BlueOval SK is delaying the production of batteries at BlueOval City in West Tennessee until 2027.
BlueOval SK, a joint venture between SK On and Ford Motor Co., announced the delay in production. The plant in Stanton is expected to produce batteries for future Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles.
The battery plant at BlueOval City in Tennessee is not suspending production entirely but has delayed its start date. Ford and its partner, SK On, are postponing the planned production of batteries at the Stanton, Tennessee facility until 2027, pushed back from the previously announced start date of late 2025.
Key details on the BlueOval City battery delay:
- Reason for the delay: Ford is adjusting its EV production timelines to meet current market demand, which has cooled recently, and to incorporate new, lower-cost battery technologies. The company aims to make its EV lineup more profitable.
- Related EV delays: This battery delay follows an earlier announcement by Ford to postpone mass production of its next-generation electric trucks at the same BlueOval City campus until 2028.
- Kentucky plant is operating: The BlueOval SK battery park in Glendale, Kentucky, which is part of the same joint venture, successfully began production in August 2025. However, construction on a second plant at the Kentucky site was previously delayed due to similar market adjustments.
- Commitment to the project: Despite the adjusted timeline, Ford has not abandoned the BlueOval City project. Construction at the Tennessee site is continuing, and the company remains committed to its long-term plan to scale battery production in the U.S..