Automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Co. on May 11 marked the formal introduction of Ford Energy, which will provide United States-assembled battery energy storage systems for utilities, data centers and large industrial and commercial customers in the United States.
“For the better part of a year, we have operated quietly to build a foundation for this business. We haven't just been planning; we have been executing — securing supply chains, readying our manufacturing sites and aligning our technology with the massive demand for domestic energy storage,” noted Lisa Drake, President of Ford Energy, in a post.
“By leveraging more than a century of manufacturing expertise, Ford Energy plans to deploy at least 20 GWh annually, with first customer deliveries planned for late 2027,” she wrote.
Ford Energy’s operations span full battery cell manufacturing – including production of electrode coils – and assembly of modules and containers, plus sales and service support.
The company's flagship product – the Ford Energy DC block – is a standardized 20-foot containerized battery energy storage system designed around 512 Ah LFP prismatic cells.
"We offer two configurations: the FE-250 (two-hour system) and the FE-450 (a four-hour system). Both integrate advanced LFP prismatic battery technology, liquid-cooled thermal management and battery management system," Drake said.
"We designed the DC block for the metrics that matter most to customers: predictable lifetime performance, ease of service and thermal stability — designed for 20-year performance, from a 122-year-old company."
The company is repurposing existing U. S. battery manufacturing capacity in Glendale, Kentucky, to serve the rapidly growing BESS market.
"Our manufacturing and supply chain strategy is designed to support a changing regulatory environment for battery energy storage. It aligns with Investment Tax Credit requirements. It also meets material assistance and domestic content standards relevant to grid-scale storage."
"U. S. demand for dispatchable, bankable energy storage is accelerating. The convergence of data center growth, renewable energy integration, and grid resilience requirements has created a gap in the market," Drake said.
"Utilities and developers need storage systems they can finance, insure and depend on for decades. They need suppliers who will be there in year 10 to honor a warranty claim.
That is the gap Ford Energy is built to fill. Ford Motor Company has manufactured at industrial scale for more than a century, and we’re excited to bring this immense capability to energy storage."
