Ford introduces a battery energy storage system for American utilities

Ford Motor Company has officially launched Ford Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary focused on supplying U.S.-assembled battery energy storage systems (BESS) to utilities, data centres, and large industrial and commercial customers across the United States.

The business had been operating quietly for nearly a year while securing supply chains and preparing manufacturing facilities ahead of its formal announcement. Ford Energy aims to deploy at least 20 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy storage capacity annually, with the first customer deliveries expected in late 2027.

Its flagship offering, the Ford Energy direct-current (DC) block, is a standardised 20-foot containerised BESS built around 512 ampere-hour (Ah) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic battery cells. The system will be available in two variants: the FE-250, designed for two-hour storage applications, and the FE-450, intended for four-hour storage durations. Both configurations feature advanced LFP battery technology, liquid-cooled thermal management systems, and integrated battery management systems.

Ford Energy’s operations will include end-to-end battery cell manufacturing, covering electrode coil production, module and container assembly, as well as sales and after-sales service support.

To support rising demand, the company is repurposing existing battery manufacturing capacity in Glendale. Ford stated that its manufacturing and supply chain strategy has been structured to align with Investment Tax Credit requirements and domestic content standards applicable to grid-scale energy storage projects in the U.S.

Lisa Drake said that demand for reliable and dispatchable energy storage in the U.S. is rapidly increasing due to the combined growth of data centres, renewable energy integration, and grid resilience requirements. She added that Ford Motor Company’s century-long experience in large-scale manufacturing positions the company well to expand into the energy storage sector.

Ford had previously announced plans to invest approximately USD 2 billion into establishing the business and is now moving into full execution mode as it prepares manufacturing capacity for customer deliveries beginning in late 2027.

The detailed article is published by https://www.esgtoday.com/ can be accessed from https://www.esgtoday.com/ford-repurposes-ev-battery-capacity-to-launch-new-energy-storage-business/