In November the United Auto Workers ratified a four-year contract with Ford—one that included an agreement to invest more than $6 billion in U.S. plants and, as was reported then, included plans to keep high-visibility electrification plans for the F-150 in Michigan. 

Tuesday, Ford made good on that plan for its Michigan plants, confirming and detailing the role that they’ll have in delivering electric and hybrid versions of the F-150 pickup, autonomous vehicles, and other products. 

Ford F-Series electric truck prototype

Ford will add 2,700 new jobs over three years in Wayne, Michigan—to build trucks like the upcoming Bronco, but also as part of a new “modification center to support autonomous vehicles and other vehicles.” The first autonomous vehicles will be completed there starting in 2021. 

The company will introduce both an all-new F-150 and an F-150 hybrid version in 2020, Ford said. “The fully electric Ford F-150 is coming soon after,” it confirmed, adding that the vehicle is part of an investment of more than $11.5 billion toward global electrified vehicle investment. 

Rivian R1T electric pickup concept

Calendar year 2021 is promising to be a busy time for electric-pickup introductions. Recently GM CEO Mary Barra confirmed that company’s electric truck will arrive in 2021. The Rivian R1T will go into production before then, according to plan, but likely won’t reach the market in significant numbers in 2021. And the Tesla Cybertruck is scheduled for late 2021. 

Last summer, Ford teased a prototype electric F-150 pickup, pulling ten double-decker rail cars weighing more than a million pounds. Those rail cars were loaded with 42 gas-powered F-150s—one for each year the F-150 has been the best-selling truck. 

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Ford F-Series electric truck prototype

atteries will be kept close to home, too. In Dearborn, where the electrified F-150 versions will be built, Ford says that it’s planning to assemble battery cells into battery packs for both the F-150 hybrid and the F-150 electric pickup.