FORD MOTOR CO.

In an effort to advance auto semiconductor chip manufacturing to address a global shortage hitting the auto industry, Ford has announced a new partnership with GlobalFoundries.

The companies on Thursday announced the signing of a nonbinding agreement for a strategic partnership that aims to increase the supply of chips to Ford.

The company has moved on from talking about capitalizing on climate change to launching an electric vehicle that might help to mitigate it.

Shares of Rivian Automotive jumped in their debut Wednesday, rising as much as 53% as investors look for the next big winner in the electric vehicle market.

Shares of Rivian Automotive jumped in their debut Wednesday, rising as much as 53% as investors look for the next big winner in the electric vehicle market.

Shares in Rivian Automotive are set to trade publicly Wednesday, and the world should get a better idea of just how hot investors are for the electric vehicle market. Rivian, the EV startup backed by Amazon and Ford, raised at least $10.5 billion in its public offering to help it ramp up production of its trucks, vans and SUVs. It's the latest in what's becoming a long line of companies trying to carve out some of Tesla's dominant market share.

Here are tonight's top stories.

Ford Motor Co. is requiring most of its salaried employees in the United States to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 or face unpaid leave.

Ford Motor Co.’s $5.6 billion facility stands to make a major impact on Tennessee schools, which will be charged with helping prepare workers.

Tennessee schools will be banned from issuing mask mandates if legislators adopt an amendment proposed during a special legislative session.

The Chinese-controlled Swedish car maker Volvo Cars will make a return as a listed company after a hiatus of more than two decades following an initial public offering and share listing in Sweden later this month.

Electric vehicles are the future. But lithium-ion batteries might not be the best way to power them.

K-12 educators will be expected to help prepare skilled workers for the historic endeavor that will create 5,800 new jobs.

Gov. Bill Lee said he supports appeals filed by the state attorney in two rulings affecting families in Shelby and Knox counties.

Ford Motor Co. and South Korea-based energy company SK Innovations are investing $11.4 billion to build two new enormous manufacturing campuses for electric vehicles.

Automaker will build four factories in Kentucky and Tennessee, marking the company's biggest manufacturing investment.

Ford and a partner company say they plan to build three major electric-vehicle battery factories and an auto assembly plant by 2025.

Ford Motor Co. is investing $50 million in an upstart electric vehicle battery recycling company as the automaker moves to bolster its U.S. battery supply chain.

Weeks after being told to evacuate their homes, some residents in those evacuated areas of Flat Rock finally have the all-clear to go back home.

Ford said interest in the new F-150 Lightning is so high that it’s doubling down on electric cars. The automaker is now working to increase production.

Ford Motor Co. plans to spend $250 million and add 450 jobs at three Michigan plants to meet the demand for the new F-150 Lightning.

FLAT ROCK, MI – Ford Motor Co. will send $500 checks to every household that was evacuated from a Detroit suburb because of a gas leak from a factory into the city sewer system, The Associated Press reports. It will come to $600,000 for 1,200 displaced households, the report said. Those families were instructed to evacuate on Sept. 5 and could be out of their homes for weeks to come, Flat Rock Mayor Mark Hammond said. Testing of the city’s sewer system and indoor air quality is ongoing. RELATED: Ford plant is source of harmful vapors in metro Detroit sewer, say officialsREAD MORE:Summer shows no sign of ending; See the stretch of 80s comingMichigan woman, 38, dies after crashing into traffic light poleMichigan pizza chain owner sentenced to prison for fraud over PPP loans

Hammond retires from county post, Mustang production resumes

Ford Motor Co. has hired a former Apple and Tesla executive to be the company’s head of advanced technology and new embedded systems.

Ford has hired former Tesla and Apple executive Doug Field as its chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer, the company announced Tuesday.

FLAT ROCK, MI — Hazardous vapors in the city of Flat Rock sanitary sewer system, which prompted evacuations and emergency declarations this week, have been traced to a Ford Motor Co. assembly plant fuel spill, according to the company and state officials. Hazmat crews began injecting fire suppressant foam into the Flat Rock sewer system on Friday evening in an effort to break down the hydrocarbon bonds and lower their combustibility, according to EGLE spokesperson Jill Greenberg. The area of concern is bounded by Vreeland Road, Cahill Road, Woodruff Road and I-75. Greenberg said the Ford plant, which builds Mustangs in Flat Rock, began inserting specialized plugs into the on-site sewer system and taking other mitigation steps. Anyone smelling a chemical-like odor in Flat Rock should contact the fire department non-emergency line at 734-782-2496 and dial 0.

Bill Ford has served as the environmental conscience of the auto industry. It's something that until recently was taboo in a business reliant on fossil fuels.

The automaker informed employees Wednesday of the cuts, which also impact production of its larger Super Duty pickups and Expedition SUV.

The first stop on Romain Grosjean’s monthlong tour of the United States with his family was the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, where his wife had arranged a tour for the race car driver and their three children.

Sky-high sales prices for its pickup trucks and SUVs helped Ford Motor Co. turn a surprise second-quarter profit despite a global shortage of computer chips that cut factory output in half.

Sky-high sales prices for pickup trucks and SUVs helped Ford Motor Co. turn a surprise second-quarter profit despite a global shortage of computer chips that cut production in half.

Sky-high sales prices for its pickup trucks and SUVs helped Ford Motor Co. turn a surprise second-quarter profit despite a global shortage of computer chips that cut factory output in half. The automaker warned earlier in the year that it would be hit especially hard by the chip shortage and a fire at Japanese supplier Renesas that manufactures many of its automotive-grade chips, resulting in a second-quarter loss. Ford raised its guidance for full-year pretax income by about $3.5 billion to between $9 billion and $10 billion.

Ford Motor Co. and a self-driving vehicle company it partly owns will join with the Lyft ride-hailing service to offer autonomous rides on the Lyft network.

Ford Motor Co. and a self-driving vehicle company it partly owns will join with the Lyft ride-hailing service to offer autonomous rides on the Lyft network.

Ford’s second-quarter outlook is improving, with large numbers of customers making reservations for four of its new vehicles.

A new $3 million program will help Michigan businesses switch their fleets to electric vehicles. The "PowerMIFleet" program from Consumers Energy will offer rebates of up to...

The 2021 Ford Bronco is rolling off the line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant and the new two-door and four-door Bronco models are on their way to Ford dealerships nationwide.

The man killed in a weekend shooting that left more than a dozen people injured in Austin, Texas, was visiting the city from Michigan, his family said.

It was two years ago that Ford Motor Company began the painstaking process of converting Michigan Central Station into office workspace.

Here are this morning's top stories.

Ford Motor Co. is boosting its spending on electric vehicle production by $30 billion as it aims to have 40% of its fleet all-electric by 2030.

UAW leadership change leaves Ford in flux.

The automaker said the Van Dyke plant will ramp up to full production of electric motors this summer.

On the heels of its reveal last week of the all-electric F-150 Lightning, Ford is following up with a version for its commercial customer base.

Ford opened up reservations Wednesday, allowing customers to put down a $100 deposit to reserve a truck. They will later be asked to place an order.

Michigan Democrats who traveled to Dearborn for President Joe Biden’s visit while Congress was in session Tuesday cast votes remotely by citing the “ongoing health emergency."

A Korean auto supplier will invest $10 million and hire 285 people northeast of Atlanta to make parts that will accompany electric vehicle batteries that SK Innovation will produce nearby. Duckyang Industrial Co. said Thursday that the plant in Braselton will make battery modules and energy storage systems for SK Innovation's $2.6 billion, 2,600-worker plant in Commerce. The company already supplies cockpit modules, a dashboard assembly of more than 130 parts that includes the steering wheel, instruments and electronics, to automakers including Kia and Hyundai.

The electric pickup is a cornerstone of Ford’s $22 billion investment in EVs that began with the Mustang Mach-E sporty SUV last year.

The electric pickup is a cornerstone of Ford’s $22 billion investment in EVs that began with the Mustang Mach-E sporty SUV last year.

The Dearborn automaker is planning a battery update hours after debuting the electric pickup.

Ford Motor Co. works to generate enthusiasm for the future as it cuts production now due to lack of semiconductors.

Ford has confirmed a new round of production cuts at several of its plants in North America amid the ongoing chip shortage.

As Biden calls for $174 billion for electric vehicles, Republican lawmakers have opposed that piece of his infrastructure plan.

The president toured the Dearborn facility where the new all-electric version of Ford's F-150 pickup will be built.

President Biden shares the spotlight at the Rouge with 8 classic Ford .

The fate of the House proposal is unclear as legislative budget negotiations ramp up.

President Biden visits metro Detroit today, speaking at Ford's electric vehicle plant, with protests expected nearby over Biden's support of Israel.

The president will tour the Dearborn facility where Ford's new electric pickup will be built. Protests of Biden's support of Israel are also expected.

The president is set to deliver remarks after touring the Dearborn facility where the new electric pickup will be built.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center on Tuesday, May 18 in Dearborn.

Ford will temporarily cut production of its F-150 the week of May 24 at the Dearborn Truck Plant.

Ford Bronco enthusiasts get letters over the weekend that warn of 2-3 week production delay.

Michigan hit its first vaccine benchmark earlier Monday, allowing employers to bring back employees to the workplace for in-person work on May 24.

Two new Ford family members join board of directors.

Among the features that Ford will deliver via OTA updates: an embedded, hands-free version of Amazon Alexa and Ford's active-drive-assist system.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center on Tuesday, May 18 in Dearborn.

The president is expected to visit Michigan ahead of Ford's presenting an electric version of its best-selling truck.

Ford issues safety warning on Explorer 2016-19 sold throughout North America.

Ford revealed the name of its long-anticipated electric F-150, saying it plans to unveil the vehicle on May 19: Meet the Ford F-150 Lightning.

The global event will be broadcast live with more than 30 ways to watch,

The all-electric version of the iconic F-150 pickup will be unveiled via a livestreamed event on May 19 from Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn.

Ford posted a surprising $3.26 billion profit in the first quarter, but the company says a worsening global computer chip shortage could cut its production in half during the current quarter.

Ford employees interested in being vaccinated against COVID-19 can now receive an on-site vaccination at manufacturing facilities in three states. Starting today, Ford is offering the vaccine program to employees in Southeast Michigan, and will provide the shot to employees in the Lima, Ohio, and Kansas City, Missouri, areas as well.

American industry rebounded last month as the United States recovered from an unusually frigid February.

Two big South Korean electric vehicle battery makers said they've settled a long-running trade dispute that will allow one company to move ahead with plans to manufacture batteries in Georgia.

The share of Indeed's job postings that mention “remote work” or “work from home" reached 7% last month, up from just below 3% a year ago. But in some industries, the gains were far more dramatic, including those that haven't traditionally welcomed remote work. “Remote work has become much more accepted.”Ford is just the latest company to allow more work from home after the pandemic. Company executives overwhelmingly report that remote work has succeeded during the pandemic, according to research by consulting firm PwC. About 55% said they envision allowing continued remote work, according to the survey of 133 executives of mostly large companies.

The share of Indeed's job postings that mention “remote work” or “work from home" reached 7% last month, up from just below 3% a year ago. But in some industries, the gains were far more dramatic, including those that haven't traditionally welcomed remote work. “Remote work has become much more accepted.”Ford is just the latest company to allow more work from home after the pandemic. Company executives overwhelmingly report that remote work has succeeded during the pandemic, according to research by consulting firm PwC. About 55% said they envision allowing continued remote work, according to the survey of 133 executives of mostly large companies.

The share of Indeed's job postings that mention “remote work” or “work from home" reached 7% last month, up from just below 3% a year ago. But in some industries, the gains were far more dramatic, including those that haven't traditionally welcomed remote work. “Remote work has become much more accepted.”Ford is just the latest company to allow more work from home after the pandemic. About 55% said they envision allowing continued remote work, according to the survey of 133 executives of mostly large companies. An additional 26% said they preferred only limited remote work but recognized that it's become popular with employees.

An aerial view of the Ford Robotics Building at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.ANN ARBOR – University of Michigan and Ford Motor Co. are opening a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to developing robots and roboticists. The Ford Motor Company Robotics Building is on U-M’s North Campus. The building’s fourth floor holds a robotics and mobility research lab for Ford -- the first on any university campus, as well as 100 Ford engineers and researchers. AdA workspace in the Ford Robotics Building at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. The atrium of the Ford Robotics Building at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Severe winter weather pushed industrial production down a sharp 2.2% in February, reflecting a big decline in factory output. The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday that industrial production fell 2.2% in February, reflecting a big decline in output at factories and oil and gas refineries. Industrial production fell 2.2% last month interrupting a string of four positive monthly gains as U.S. factories recovered from the pandemic-induced recession of last spring. Industrial production had been up 1.1% in January and 1% in December. The Fed said that total industrial production in February was 4.2% below the level of February 2002, the month before the pandemic hit with force in the United States.

The rise in wholesale prices moderated a bit in February after a record increase in January with both months being hit with higher energy prices. increased by 0.5% last month following a record jump of 1.3% in January. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)WASHINGTON – Energy prices continued to rocket higher in February, though overall wholesale prices moderated after a record jump in January. Over the past year, wholesale prices are up 2.8%, the largest 12-month gain at the wholesale level in more than two years. Earlier this week, the U.S. reported that consumer prices rose 0.4% in February, the biggest gain in six months, also because of rising energy prices.

The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday, Dec. 15 that the November gain in industrial output followed an even stronger 0.9% increase in October. U.S. industrial production — which includes output factories, mines and utiliites — rose 0.9% last month on top of increases of 1.3% in December, 0.9% in November and 1.1% in October, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday. Still, industrial production was down 1.8% from January 2020, reflecting lingering economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. Manufacturing rose 1% even though auto production was held down by a shortage of semiconductors used in vehicles. Utility output dropped 1.2% on declining production of natural gas.

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that it will cut shifts at two of its U.S. manufacturing plants next week, due to the worldwide chip shortage that has also impacted other automakers. Starting Monday, Ford will cut two shifts at its Dearborn, Michigan, facility, going down to one shift per day. AdFord isn't alone in cutting back production due to the shortage of chips needed to produce cars. General Motors will have downtime at three of its factories — one in the U.S, one in Canada and one in Mexico — due to the chip shortage, starting Feb. 8. Other automakers like Nissan, Fiat Chrysler and Toyota have also been impacted by the chip shortage.

FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, file photo, a row of 2020 sports-utility vehicles pickup trucks sits at a Ford dealership, in Denver. But the automaker said Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, it is generating strong cash flow and will go all-in on electric vehicles. But the company said Thursday it is generating strong cash flow and will go all-in on electric vehicles. Also contributing were a $610 million government-ordered recall of 2.7 million vehicles with dangerous Takata air bag inflators and a $1.2 billion one-time accounting charge for falling pension-fund values. Despite the increased electric vehicle investment, Chief Financial Officer John Lawler stopped short of matching rival General Motors’ goal of selling only all-electric light vehicles by 2035.

The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday, Dec. 15 that the November gain in industrial output followed an even stronger 0.9% increase in October. – U.S. industrial production rose 1.6% in December, a third straight monthly gain, but remains below its pre-pandemic level. Even with those gains, industrial output is still about 3.3% below its level in February before the pandemic hit. Manufacturing increased 0.9%, its eighth straight monthly gain, even as production of motor vehicles and parts declined 1.6%. Mining production rose 1.6%, while utilities' output rose 6.2% as a rebound in December demand followed a 4.2% decline in November due to unseasonably warm weather.

But with the nation's COVID-19 death toll eclipsing 300,000 and the virus spiking in communities that surround the plants, industry and union officials say it may be impossible to keep the virus out of factories. Beef and pork production have both been running just below last year’s levels, Iowa State University agricultural economist Lee Schulz said. Gamble said much of the fear has come from misinformation about workers catching the virus in factories, which is not true. During the spring, more than 1,000 of the plant’s 2,800 workers were infected and at least six died. The company has lined up just-in-time freight to get parts to keep plants running, he said.

DETROIT – Ford Motor Company is doubling down on it’s push to build electric vehicles with a nearly $1 billion investment in its plants. Ford plans to add 350 jobs at two factories to meet expected demand for electric vehicles. READ: Ford adding 350 jobs at 2 plants to make electric vehiclesAround 200 workers will be hired at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, which will build an all-electric F-150 pickup starting in mid-2022. Ford says it’s an early investment in the first phase of its plan to build more electric vehicles. That will be to make electric motors and transaxles for new electric vehicles -- but no new jobs will be added.

DETROIT – When Ford announced it was taking over Michigan Central Station we were told the rehab would be meticulous. On Wednesday, Local 4 got a look at how some very high tech tools are being used to make sure everything is exactly how it should be. 3D scanners are being used to restore the station to its former glory. Local 4 spoke with Dan Saperstein, the senior vice president of business systems at Computer Aided Technology (CATI) to find out more. Click here for more Michigan Central Station coverageWatch the video above for the full report

DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. posted a stronger-than-expected third-quarter net profit as demand for cars and trucks recovered from coronavirus shutdowns and the company sold more high-margin trucks. The company reported an outsized pretax profit margin of 9.7% for the quarter, with North America's margin at 12.5%. Automakers were expecting a tough third quarter because they didn’t know how much demand and production would recover from the virus. But Ford saw its U.S. sales down only 5% for the period, with much of the decline from slower sales to large fleet buyers. At the same time, Ford had its best quarter for pickup truck sales since 2005, and those carry a higher price tag than other vehicles.

DEARBORN, Mich. – A gathering of iconic Ford cars marked a last hurrah for the Dearborn product development center. For the last 65 years every new design from the Ford Motor Co. has come through those doors. READ: New Ford CEO replaces CFO, pledges stronger profit marginsIt’s the place where designers get to deliver the cars for the first time. Soon, it will all be bulldozed to make way for something new. Watch the video above for the full report

Take a look inside Michigan Central Station in Detroit as Ford continues its renovation of the historic train depot. The Handbuilt City toured the building recently and created a virtual tour showing progress inside. After pausing due to the pandemic, renovation work at Michigan Central resumed in early August. Ford Motor Co. bought the iconic building just outside downtown in 2018 for research and development of self-driving vehicles. Look back: A brief history of Michigan Central Station as historic Detroit train depot prepares for new chapterWork on the 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) building is still expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

DEARBORN, Mich. Ford Motor Co. will offer early retirement incentives with hopes of cutting its U.S. white-collar workforce by 1,400 more positions. A spokesman says Ford expects to meet its goals with the offers. The offers will go to U.S. salaried workers who are eligible to retire as of Dec. 31. The offers won't go out in every part of the business. Ford has about 30,000 white-collar workers in the U.S.

DETROIT Restoration work is moving ahead at the Michigan Central train station in Detroit despite the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Work on the project stopped for seven weeks due to a statewide stay-at-home order aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. But crews are now in the middle of Phase Two of the project, which involves fixing the street structure and repairing masonry, the Detroit Free Press reported. Ford Motor Co. bought the iconic building just outside downtown in 2018 for research and development of self-driving vehicles. Reid said explicitly that, theres been no change to our plans involving the train station.

But that was far better than the $1.17 a share loss Wall Street had expected, according to FactSet. The automaker's second-quarter revenue was down by about half from a year ago to $19.37 billion, which narrowly beat estimates. But Chief Financial Officer Tim Stone said the company performed better than expected across the board during the quarter, allowing it to surpass expectations. The whole auto industry was expected to struggle during the quarter as the pandemic cut into production and sales. Electric vehicle company Tesla may wind up the lone exception because it managed a $104 million profit.

This photo provided by Ford Motor Co. shows a 1967 Ford Bronco T67-515. Ford is reviving the Bronco SUV brand in an effort to cash in on the rugged U.S. off-road vehicle market now owned by Jeep. Ford believes the Bronco name will evoke good memories from its off-road heritage during a three-decade run that ended in 1996. Now Ford is reviving the Bronco brand name in an effort to take a slice. Although the new Broncos will share some parts with other Ford vehicles, theyve got beefed up suspensions and were designed for off-road use, the company said.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)DEARBORN, Mich. DEARBORN, Mich.Ford and Volkswagen will each offer a small city van, a larger cargo van, a small pickup truck and an electric vehicle as part of their global alliance announced last year. The companies announced some details of what the venture will yield Wednesday, with the city van created by VW and a 1-ton cargo van engineered by Ford to be sold by both companies. Also, VW will make a small pickup built on the underpinnings of Ford's Ranger, and Ford will build an unidentified electric vehicle for Europe based on VW's modular design, the companies said. VW would start selling the pickup truck in 2022, and the electric vehicle would come in 2023, the companies said in a statement. The companies also said last year that they would jointly fund autonomous vehicle development, with VW investing in Argo AI, a Pittsburgh company largely owned by Ford.

Trump visited Ypsilanti, outside Detroit, to tour a Ford Motor Co. factory that had been repurposed to manufacture ventilators, the medical breathing machines governors begged for during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the Ford executives giving Trump the tour were wearings masks, the president standing alone without one. The day before, Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from Michigan after its secretary of state mailed absentee ballot applications to millions of voters. Trump first tweeted falsely that the Democratic state official had mailed absentee ballots to Michigan voters. We dont want them to do mail in ballots because its going to lead to total election fraud," Trump said Thursday.

Ford says everyone in its factories must wear personal protective equipment, including masks, and that its policy has been communicated to the White House. Trump wouldn't commit to wearing a mask at the plant when he was asked about the matter earlier this week. At least two people who work in the White House and had been physically close to Trump recently tested positive for the virus. Trump is tested daily; the White House says he remains negative. Related: Will President Trump have to wear mask when he visits Michigan Ford plant?

At Ford Motor Co., employees are volunteering to come in to make face shields. The 55-year-old grandmother is one of more than 100 Ford employees working around the clock to build face shields. How easily the virus spreadsHow easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily. People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider immediately.

DETROIT Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel cracked down on Menards for price gouging Tuesday, a day after extending hours for the Consumer Protection hotline. Two Michigan Department of Corrections employees are the departments first known cases of the virus. MORE: Heres which Michigan counties have confirmed cases of coronavirusA probation agent at the Jackson MDOC office and a Detroit Detention Center employee tested positive for coronavirus. How easily the virus spreadsHow easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily.