Specifically, Ford will receive $5.9 billion in loans through 2011 to design a total of 13 fuel efficient models, including greener version of existing cars such as Focus, Escape, Taurus and F-150. This will help the American manufacturer transform no less than 35,000 employees to green engineering and manufacturing jobs, the United States Department of Energy said in a release, at plants in 5 states, as it follows: Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
Ford's production plants concerned by the new government loan are the following: Chicago Assembly, Louisville Assembly, Dearborn Assembly, Dearborn Engine, Livonia Transmission, Michigan Assembly, Van Dyke Transmission, Kansas City Assembly, Cleveland Engine, Lima Engine, and Sharonville Transmission.
Nissan will get $1.6 billion to produce cars and batteries in Smyrna, Tennessee, a plan the Japanese manufacturer has already announced last week. Additionally. Nissan will construct a new battery plant and bring a number of modifications to the existing facility to maximize green car production as much as possible. The US DoE says the Japanese carmaker will offer electric vehicles to fleet and retail consumers, with an estimated annual production going as high as 150,000 units. Nissan will employ approximately 1,300 additional staff to meet this production goal, it said.
Tesla Motors' share of the latest government loan package amounts to $465 million, with a part of the money to be used for the production of the Model S. The production will be hosted by the company's Californian facility which is expected to employ 1,000 new workers by 2013.
Additionally, Tesla will also use the money to manufacture battery packs and electric components for both its very own models but also for cars coming from overseas, including the smart fortwo.
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