Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn has solidified its position as America’s top automaker in terms of vehicles assembled, vehicles exported to other countries, and hourly autoworkers employed in America, according to 2022 data from S&P Global Mobility.
Last year, Ford assembled more than 1.8 million vehicles in the U.S.,130,000 more than the nearest auto manufacturer. This includes F-Series trucks, every one of which is assembled in America at plants in Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio. The Illinois-assembled Explorer SUV and Kentucky-assembled Escape SUV remain two other popular models.
“Ford is the most American of all car companies,” says Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford. “It is because of our belief in our workforce and in America that we build more vehicles and have more hourly employees here than other companies. As we pivot to an EV future, we are proud to continue to invest in America.”
Overall, nearly 80 percent of the vehicles Ford sells in U.S. are assembled in the U.S., according to the research.
In 2022, Ford exported 260,000 U.S.-assembled vehicles — including F-150, Explorer, and Mustang — to other countries, 65,000 more than the next closest competitor. Approximately one in every seven vehicles that Ford assembles in the U.S. is exported to other markets.
Ford currently employs about 57,000 hourly manufacturing workers in the U.S. and has announced plans to add 18,000-plus new U.S. manufacturing jobs over the next three years to produce electric and gas-powered vehicles.
“Ford has bet on American workers, including the UAW, more than any other automaker,” says Jim Farley, president of Ford. “This commitment combined with great product and innovation, has earned us the loyalty of customers and returned Ford to America’s best-selling brand so far this year. We could make different decisions — as many others have done to reduce costs — but Ford is different. We will find ways to be lean and competitive while investing in our home market.”
Among the new jobs Ford is planning to add in the coming years are:
- Nearly 2,000 at three Michigan assembly plants to produce F-150 Lightning at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, the all-new Ranger pickup at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, and the all-new Mustang at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, plus an all-new Ford Customer Service Division packaging facility in Monroe.
- Approximately 1,800 union jobs at the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake to assemble an all-new EV commercial vehicle starting mid-decade.
- 6,000 at Blue Oval City in West Tennessee to build Ford’s second-generation electric truck and to build EV batteries with partner SK On.
- 5,000 with partner SK On at BlueOval SK Battery Park in Glendale, Ky., for future Ford and Lincoln EV batteries.
- 2,500 — to start — through a wholly owned subsidiary at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan in Marshall for production of lithium iron phosphate EV batteries
Additionally, a new third shift at Kansas City Assembly Plant will boost production of the Transit, America’s best-selling commercial van, while the E-Transit electric van began assembly last week. Ford previously said the third shift would result in 1,100 union jobs.
