Ford has completed a $2 billion retooling of its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky in less than a year, setting the stage for the production of the $28,000 Fathom electric truck. The facility, which produced gas-powered vehicles for more than 70 years, has been transformed into a dedicated electric production site. This rapid conversion involved removing 25,000 tons of old manufacturing equipment and pouring new concrete across 230,000 square feet of floor space to prepare the factory for Ford’s new Universal EV Production System.
Building The Car On A Kitchen Counter
Instead of using the traditional moving assembly line where workers add parts to a vehicle as it moves past them, Ford is using an “assembly tree” approach. This system requires workers to build three major sections of the vehicle separately and bring them together at the end. The front and rear subassemblies are built independently, while a third section contains the structural battery, seats, consoles, and carpeting. Ford had to retrain its workforce at a development center in Allen Park, Michigan, to handle this new workflow.
The new method addresses some of the physical strain associated with the old process. According to Ford chief manufacturing officer Bryce Currie, the changes were made after listening to what operators dislike about their work. With the new system, workers no longer have to contort themselves into awkward positions. The seat is bolted to the rear subassembly before the vehicle’s structure gets in the way, and the dashboard—containing the most components—can be installed with operators standing directly in front of the front subassembly.
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Software Updates Before The Car Leaves The Line
One of the primary advantages of this new system is the integration of software updates into the assembly process. Previously, Ford would build the car and then update its software, a process that could take 10 minutes per vehicle if something was wrong. The new Universal EV Production System installs and updates software on individual car computers before they are even installed in the vehicle. Workers can now test and update these modules while the car is being assembled, catching problems earlier in the process.
The factory has been upgraded with high-speed internet to support this digital workflow. This allows for real-time testing and troubleshooting. Ford expects the new process to cut net assembly time by 15%. The retooled plant is now ready to begin producing the Fathom next year, marking a significant shift for a facility with such a long history of internal combustion manufacturing.
