The long drive to making cars closer to Memphis
Ford CEO Jim Farley (left) and state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe greet each other at the formal announcement Tuesday, Sept. 28, of Ford’s decision to make batteries at the megasite for its all-electric F150 pickup trucks. (Ziggy Mack/Special to the Daily Memphian)
Memphis and the surrounding region lost out when the state’s original auto corridor was established in Middle Tennessee almost 40 years ago. But the new Ford plant in Haywood County comes with lessons from that pursuit as well as doubts and the prospect of more change beyond the electric vehicles powered by batteries made at the megasite.
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Memphis Regional Megasite BlueOval City Bill Lee Jim Farley Ray Curry Brian Kelsey Jimmy Naifeh Craig Fitzhugh Karen CamperBill Dries on demand
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Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
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