Ford makes hefty investment in green jobs & EV education

The current economic climate has smacked the state of Michigan around harder than any fight you’ve seen on an edition of the “Real Housewives” reality show. Manufacturers have left in droves, taking their jobs to countries with cheap labor or states with generous tax cuts. Ford is reversing the trend by investing a pile of money in manufacturing hybrid and electric cars in Michigan as well as starting a website to educate consumers on the technology.

Their $850m investment in the state is meant as a way to cement Ford as “‘America’s Car Company’, and doing what it takes to give customers and our employees a reason to believe in Ford again.” The plan is to spread out the funds between 2011 and 2013 to retrofit old plants and start production of cars with more fuel-efficient six-speed transmissions. The Van Dyke and Livonia Transmission plants will be the focus of the six-speeders while the Sterling Axle and Dearborn Truck Plants are slated for upgrades. The investment will create around 900 hourly positions and 300 full-time spots. Ford predicts that by 2013 all of their cars will feature a six-speed transmission.

Besides just creating greener cars like the upcoming battery powered Ford Focus, the automaker wants to educate the public about their green technology. Not everyone knows just how a plug-in hybrid works, a fact made famous by Rush Limbaugh’s diatribe against the Chevy Volt. Ford’s site lays out the differences between all-electric, plug-in hybridEV, hybridEVs, and the old-school gas engine.

What’s impressive about Ford’s effort is that fact that their information is presented in relatable terms, otherwise known as “plain English.” Their information and charts are easy to grasp, no matter if you’ve got a monster SUV or Prius parked in your driveway. The site will only become more important to Ford since they’re developing the Transit Connect electric van, an electric version of the Focus, two lithium-ion battery powered hybrids, and even a plug-in hybrid.

The past few years have been disastrous for manufacturing in Michigan and especially in the auto industry. Its gotten bad enough that the tiny town of Detroit, Oregon, wants to change their name so they won’t be associated with the motor city. That’s just another reason why Ford’s investment in people of Michigan is a bright spot for a state that’s looking for a second chance.