The AM/DM podcast: BlueOval’s pivot to gas-powered trucks
BlueOval SK plant in Stanton, Tennessee. (Courtesy BlueOval SK)
The AM/DM is The Daily Memphian’s weekday podcast. Listen in every morning around 6:30 a.m. to get the news you need for the day, as well as a critical — but quick — interview on a larger story.
In mid-December, Ford Motor Co. announced new plans to build affordable gas-powered pickup trucks at BlueOval City, instead of the electric trucks it had initially planned to build in West Tennessee.
The pivot was the latest in a years-long saga that began when BlueOval was announced in 2021, with the first Ford EV truck expected at that time to roll off the line in 2025. A number of delays had already pushed that timetable back several years, and the latest information suggests the first truck will be produced in 2029.
But the change to gas-powered trucks also means West Tennessee isn’t tied to the nation’s shifting EV market.
So, what do people living near BlueOval think? Today, business reporter Sophia Surrett joins us to talk about the change and what it means for Stanton and Haywood County.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Topics
AM/DMMary Cashiola
Mary Cashiola has been a Memphis journalist for nearly two decades, beginning her career covering city government and local neighborhoods at the Memphis Flyer before being hired by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s administration.
Before joining The Daily Memphian, she was the managing editor of the Memphis Business Journal, which was named one of the top 10 Best Designed Newspapers in the world by the Society of News Design while she was there.
She also has a background in advertising, with a focus on higher education and the hospitality industry.
Business - Ford Megasite on demand
Sign up to receive Business - Ford Megasite stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.