Even as it has faced high demand for batteries from Tesla, Panasonic has been slower to build scale compared with rival suppliers LG Energy Solution of South Korea and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.
Ford said it will build three new full-electric cars and four new electric vans, beginning with a midsize crossover based on VW’s MEB EV platform.
The hunt for new supplies is the latest challenge for an auto industry already reeling from soaring metal and energy prices, supply chains snarled by the pandemic and a shortage of microchips.
The plant is targeted to start operations by 2025. It will be one of the largest EV battery facilities in the wider European region, Ford said.
The number of vehicles cut from automakers’ production plans this year because of the chip shortage surged 42 percent from a previous estimate, according to AutoForecast Solutions.