Ford Motor Company issued a statement this morning that some of their electric vehicle plans, such as the introduction of their next-generation electric trucks at Blue Oval City’s Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center in Memphis, have been delayed 18 months to 2027 as Ford shifts its electric vehicle approach.

While a delay in production would cause numerous problems for those who moved to the region specifically for work, the actual construction of Blue Oval City itself should still be finished next year.

The Tennessee General Assembly voted to grant Ford Motor Company almost $1 Billion in subsidies for the construction of Blue Oval City in Memphis, however, the motor company had already lost over $3 Billion this year on their electric vehicle projects.

The project was originally announced in 2021, and set to finish in 2025. The massive manufacturing plant was expected to create over 6,000 jobs.

Haywood County Mayor David Livingston said the plant will ‘change everything in Western Tennessee’.

Ford Motors issued a statement saying they will incorporate a new lower-cost battery technology and plans to use the extra time to make their truck design more competitive.