BlueOval SK

Corporate brand

BlueOval SK was a Ford–SK On joint venture created to develop and manufacture batteries for Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles in the United States.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

BlueOval SK, LLC, commonly abbreviated as BOSK, was an electric-vehicle battery joint venture between Ford Motor Company of the United States and SK On of South Korea. Announced in 2021, the venture was intended to establish a large domestic battery-manufacturing base for Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles and to support the automaker's broader electrification strategy. Its planned manufacturing footprint consisted of two battery plants in Glendale, Kentucky, and a further facility at BlueOval City near Stanton, Tennessee. The venture was conceived during a period when automakers were committing substantial capital to battery production in North America. Ford and SK On initially targeted approximately 60 gigawatt-hours of annual battery capacity by the middle of the decade and projected about 11,000 jobs across the planned operations. The projects received strong backing from state governments. Kentucky authorized a package involving forgivable loans, including funding directed to the joint venture, while Tennessee promoted the Stanton development as a major industrial investment. Governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Bill Lee of Tennessee described the projects as the largest single investments in their respective states' histories. Construction began in 2022. The Kentucky facilities were developed at a site known as Battery Park, land acquired by Kentucky in 2002 as part of earlier efforts to attract an automobile manufacturer. The Tennessee facility formed part of BlueOval City, a large Ford development on the Memphis Regional Megasite, which had remained without a major tenant for years partly because of wastewater-treatment constraints. The sites were intended to produce batteries for Ford's future electric trucks and other vehicles, with the battery plants integrated into a wider manufacturing and supply-chain plan. BlueOval SK's expansion plans were affected by changing electric-vehicle market conditions and Ford's reassessment of its electrification investments. In 2023, the United States Department of Energy announced a prospective $9.2 billion loan for the joint venture under a federal program designed to support domestic battery production. Ford subsequently slowed or deferred parts of its EV investment program as demand growth proved weaker than anticipated and as the economics of larger electric vehicles became more difficult. The DOE loan was finalized at $9.63 billion in December 2024, according to the cited reference material. Labor relations also became important to the venture's later history. The United Auto Workers petitioned for a union election at the Kentucky operation in January 2025, arguing that substantial employee support existed for organizing. Production at the Kentucky plant began shortly before the vote held in August 2025. BlueOval SK challenged the reported result on the basis that some ballots were ineligible, and the National Labor Relations Board later allowed the union-certification process to proceed while the company planned an appeal. By late 2025, Ford and SK On agreed to restructure their relationship and divide responsibility for the planned facilities. Under the disposition arrangement described in the reference material, a Ford subsidiary would exclusively operate the Kentucky battery plants, while SK On would take responsibility for the Tennessee operation. Ford also changed the intended emphasis of its battery manufacturing, moving toward battery-energy-storage systems for data centers and the electric grid as well as automotive applications. The Tennessee electric-vehicle center at BlueOval City was renamed the Tennessee Truck Plant. The Kentucky workforce was expected to be laid off during the transition, with a plan to rehire approximately 2,100 employees after retooling in 2027. Reports also indicated that Ford would not operate the second Kentucky building and would seek another manufacturer for that facility, while approximately 150 employees at the Tennessee site were reported laid off in March 2026. BlueOval SK therefore represents a completed phase of Ford and SK On's battery-industry partnership rather than an enduring standalone consumer brand. Its significance lies in the scale of its proposed investment, its connection to U.S. industrial policy and federal battery financing, and the way its original vehicle-battery strategy was revised in response to market demand, capital-allocation pressures, labor issues, and changing ownership arrangements.

History

BlueOval SK emerged from a memorandum of understanding announced by Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation, now represented by SK On, in May 2021. The proposed joint venture was designed to localize a substantial portion of Ford's future electric-vehicle battery supply in the United States. Its initial ambition was approximately 60 GWh of annual battery capacity by the middle of the decade and roughly 11,000 jobs. The venture was part of Ford's wider investment in electric trucks, SUVs, and related manufacturing infrastructure, while SK On sought to expand its North American battery footprint. During 2021, government incentives and site selection gave the project a concrete geographic structure. Kentucky approved legislation providing $350 million in forgivable loans, with $250 million identified for BlueOval SK. The venture announced a Kentucky location in Glendale and a Tennessee location near Stanton. The Kentucky development occupied Battery Park, a property acquired by the state in 2002 in an earlier attempt to attract a vehicle manufacturer. In Tennessee, the project was incorporated into BlueOval City on the Memphis Regional Megasite, a property that had struggled to attract a tenant because of wastewater-treatment limitations. Officials in both states presented the projects as transformational industrial investments, and the governors of Kentucky and Tennessee characterized them as the largest single investments in their states' histories. Groundbreaking occurred at both sites in 2022. The planned Kentucky complex consisted of two battery plants, while the Tennessee development included a battery operation connected with Ford's wider vehicle-manufacturing plans. The facilities were intended primarily to supply Ford and Lincoln vehicles. The project also illustrated the growing connection between automaker investment and federal industrial policy: in March 2023, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the Kentucky site and discussed how the Inflation Reduction Act was supporting domestic production. In June of that year, the Department of Energy announced a proposed $9.2 billion loan for the joint venture. The loan was finalized at $9.63 billion in December 2024, according to the cited Wikipedia material. The original schedule and scale were later affected by market conditions. In October 2023, Ford announced a slowdown in some investments, including BlueOval SK-related spending, as the growth of EV demand failed to meet earlier expectations. The second Kentucky plant was delayed. Ford faced a combination of weaker demand for some electric vehicles, high production costs, uncertainty around larger electric vehicles, and changing regulatory conditions. These pressures made the initial model of rapidly expanding automotive battery capacity less attractive and encouraged Ford to consider alternative uses for the facilities. Labor organization became a significant issue at the Kentucky site. In January 2025, the United Auto Workers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a union election, reporting that most employees favored union representation. Kentucky production began shortly before the August vote. BlueOval SK disputed the result, arguing that certain ballots should not have been counted because the voters were ineligible. The National Labor Relations Board later permitted the union-certification process to advance, while BlueOval SK planned to appeal. The status of representation for workers rehired after the planned retooling remained uncertain in the cited account. The partnership was substantially reorganized in December 2025. Ford announced a disposition agreement with SK On and SK Battery America that divided the operating future of the sites. A Ford subsidiary was to operate the Kentucky battery plants exclusively, while SK On was to take the Tennessee facility. The Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center at BlueOval City was renamed the Tennessee Truck Plant. Ford also shifted part of its battery strategy away from a sole focus on vehicle batteries and toward battery-energy-storage systems for data centers and the electric grid. The restructuring involved substantial workforce and facility changes. The Kentucky plant workforce was expected to be laid off by February 2026, with an intention to rehire approximately 2,100 employees in 2027 following retooling. Ford reportedly decided not to operate the second Kentucky building and began looking for another manufacturer that might use it. In March 2026, approximately 150 employees at the Tennessee operation were reported laid off. These developments marked the practical end of BlueOval SK as a unified Ford–SK On operating venture. Its legacy is the creation of major planned battery sites, the use of state and federal incentives to build North American capacity, and the subsequent adaptation of that capacity to changing EV economics and stationary-storage demand.

2026
Restructuring and layoffs proceed
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
The Kentucky workforce transition, review of the second building, and Tennessee layoffs marked the end of the unified joint-venture model.
2025
Kentucky production begins and union dispute develops
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Production began at the Kentucky plant, followed by a contested union election and subsequent NLRB proceedings.
2025
Ford and SK On divide site responsibilities
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
A disposition agreement assigned the Kentucky plants to a Ford subsidiary and the Tennessee operation to SK On.
2024
DOE direct loan finalized
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
The federal direct loan was finalized at $9.63 billion in December.
2023
Federal battery-loan proposal announced
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
The Department of Energy announced a proposed $9.2 billion loan for the venture.
2023
Ford slows parts of the investment program
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Ford delayed or reduced portions of its planned EV investment, including the second Kentucky battery plant.
2022
Groundbreaking begins
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Construction began at the Kentucky and Tennessee developments.
2021
Ford and SK announce proposed battery joint venture
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
The companies announced a memorandum of understanding for a U.S. battery venture targeting approximately 60 GWh of annual capacity and 11,000 jobs.
2021
Kentucky and Tennessee sites selected
[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Glendale, Kentucky, and Stanton, Tennessee, were selected for three planned battery plants.

Products and positioning

A large-scale North American battery-manufacturing venture supporting Ford's electric-vehicle supply chain and domestic production strategy.

Electric-vehicle batteries · 2025
Automotive battery cells
BlueOval SK was established to manufacture battery cells and related battery production output for Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles. The planned facilities were intended to provide a large domestic supply base for Ford's EV programs, including vehicles built around the wider Kentucky and Tennessee manufacturing developments. The venture's initial target was approximately 60 GWh of annual capacity by the middle of the decade, although the schedule and operating structure changed as Ford revised its EV investment plans.
Stationary energy storage · 2025
Battery-energy-storage systems
As Ford and SK On restructured their relationship, Ford redirected part of its battery strategy toward stationary energy storage for data centers and the electric grid. This was a strategic application of battery-manufacturing capacity rather than a clearly documented consumer product sold under the BlueOval SK name.

Brand decisions

2025
Redirect battery capacity toward stationary storageStrategy
Background
Ford faced regulatory, demand, and cost challenges affecting plans for larger electric vehicles.
Action taken
Ford shifted part of its battery-production focus toward energy-storage systems for data centers and the electric grid.
Aftermath
The change broadened the intended use of the facilities but coincided with workforce reductions and a restructuring of the joint venture.
Source
2025
Divide operating responsibility between Ford and SK OnM&A
Background
Ford and SK On revised the structure of their battery partnership after Ford reduced parts of its EV expansion plans.
Action taken
Under a disposition agreement, a Ford subsidiary was to operate the Kentucky plants exclusively and SK On was to take the Tennessee facility.
Aftermath
BlueOval SK ceased to function as a unified operating model, with the sites moving toward separate ownership or operating arrangements.
Source
2025
Contest the Kentucky union-election resultOther
Background
The United Auto Workers sought representation at the Kentucky operation, and the election result was disputed.
Action taken
BlueOval SK challenged the result on the grounds that some ballots were cast by ineligible voters and planned to appeal the NLRB process.
Aftermath
The NLRB allowed certification proceedings to advance, leaving the representation status of future rehired workers uncertain.
Source
2023
Slow and delay portions of the battery expansionStrategy
Background
Ford cited a slowdown in EV investment amid weaker-than-expected demand growth and changing market conditions.
Action taken
Ford slowed investments connected with the program and delayed the second Glendale plant.
Aftermath
The original expansion timetable was weakened even though federal financing for the venture was later finalized.
Source
2021
Create a large North American battery joint ventureStrategy
Background
Ford sought a domestic battery supply chain for its planned electric vehicles, while SK On was expanding its battery manufacturing presence in North America.
Action taken
Ford and SK announced a proposed joint venture with three planned plants, approximately 60 GWh of targeted annual capacity, and an estimated 11,000 jobs.
Aftermath
The plan led to major site commitments in Kentucky and Tennessee and became a central part of Ford's initial North American EV manufacturing expansion.
Source
2021
Select Glendale, Kentucky, and Stanton, Tennessee, sitesStrategy
Background
The venture needed large industrial locations connected to Ford's planned vehicle and battery-manufacturing footprint.
Action taken
The partners selected two Kentucky plants and one Tennessee plant, with the Tennessee facility located within BlueOval City.
Aftermath
The projects attracted substantial state support and proceeded to groundbreaking in 2022.
Source

Recent events

2026
Kentucky workforce transition and second-building review reported[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Other
The Kentucky workforce was expected to be laid off during retooling, with a plan to rehire about 2,100 workers in 2027; Ford also reportedly began seeking another manufacturer for the second building.
2026
Tennessee site reports employee layoffs[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Other
Approximately 150 employees at the Tennessee site were reported to have been laid off in March.
2025
United Auto Workers petitions for Kentucky union election[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Other · Regulation
The UAW sought an election at the Kentucky operation, stating that a majority of employees supported union representation.
2025
Kentucky battery production begins before union vote[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Product launch · Other
Production at the Kentucky facility reportedly started during the week before the August union election.
2025
BlueOval SK challenges Kentucky union-election result[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Lawsuit · Regulation
The company contested the election outcome, citing concerns about ballots it considered ineligible.
2025
Ford and SK On agree to divide planned battery operations[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Ford entered a disposition arrangement with SK On and SK Battery America that assigned exclusive operating responsibility for the Kentucky plants to a Ford subsidiary and the Tennessee operation to SK On.
2025
Battery strategy shifts toward stationary energy storage[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Product generation
Ford redirected part of its battery-production strategy toward energy-storage systems serving data centers and the electric grid.
2024
DOE finalizes $9.63 billion direct loan[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Other
The federal direct loan for the joint venture was finalized at $9.63 billion in December 2024.
2023
U.S. transportation secretary visits Kentucky project[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Other
Pete Buttigieg visited the Kentucky site and discussed the role of the Inflation Reduction Act in encouraging domestic battery production.
2023
Department of Energy announces major proposed loan[1]BlueOval SKen.wikipedia.org
Other · Regulation
The DOE announced a proposed $9.2 billion loan for the Ford–SK On battery venture under a federal domestic-manufacturing finance program.

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