The Detroit automaker will rename its Oakville, Ont., plant the Oakville Electric Vehicle Complex, where it will make battery packs in addition to a “family” of EVs there. It’s the first high-volume plant that Ford has transformed to make EVs in North America, with production starting in 2025. (The Logic)

Talking point: The company reaffirmed its $1.8-billion commitment to the plant from 2020, but would not say what models the plant will make, or whether the focus on batteries would affect its plans to build five EV models there. Executives said that all of the facility’s current employees would undergo retraining as the company tries to focus on skills for advanced manufacturing and batteries. While some workers will work through the transition, Ford will furlough others for about six months in 2024. Ford aims to maintain the total workforce of 3,000. Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a press release that the investment in upskilling is a step toward stronger auto sector employment.