Back in 1918, the River Rouge Complex was nothing more than a plant where the U.S. Navy used to produce Eagle Boats for the war effort. Fast-forward 100 years later, and River Rouge has 7,500 employees who work three shifts to manufacture America’s best-selling vehicle.
Think about it. A whole century, through better and worse, including the Great Depression and Global Crisis of 2008. In addition to producing the Ford Motor Company’s golden goose, River Rouge is a symbol of the automaker’s unflinching resilience.
“Just as the Rouge has been a harbinger of progress for a century, Ford is committed to ensuring our trucks continue to power the world in a sustainable way – whether they are powered by EcoBoost engines, hybrid powertrains, or are fully electric,” declared Bill Ford, executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company.
Regarding electrification, the F-150 Hybrid will be manufactured here starting with the 2020 model year. Even though it won’t have an EV Mode, the hybridized half-ton pickup truck is confirmed to feature a 110-volt generator. Similar to the Mustang Hybrid, the F-150 is expected to use an EcoBoost-type engine for internal combustion.
Turning our attention back to The Rouge, Ford claims that more than 10 million people have toured the complex, including celebrities and political figures such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Clinton. “To us, it’s more than a factory,” added Bill Ford. “It’s a source of pride for generations of workers who have built the best cars and trucks in the world.”
Building B of The Rouge started building the Model A in the late 1920s. The Model B, Mercury, Thunderbird, Capri, and Mustang were also assembled at the site, back in the day.
Four years ago, the complex switched to aluminum-bodied vehicles with the introduction of the thirteenth-generation F-150. The arrival of the smartest, most capable F-150 yet also translates to a zero-waste-to-landfill status, with River Rouge included in the automaker’s broader water reduction system. In the long run, the goal for Ford is to use zero potable water in its manufacturing processes.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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