DEARBORN, MI — Ford announced it would invest a total of $1.45 billion in two Southeast Michigan plants and create 3,000 union production jobs.

The investment will go toward production of new hybrid and electric vehicles, a new electric battery assembly facility and a facility to modify Ford Bronco and Ranger trucks and SUVs with self-driving technology and interiors compatible with autonomous driving.

At its Wayne, Michigan assembly plant, Ford will invest $750 million in production equipment and an autonomous modification center and add 2,700 jobs over the next three years. The Wayne center will drive the company’s existing AV research functions in Dearborn and Detroit.

At its Dearborn truck plant, which manufacturers F-150 and Raptor trucks, Ford will add 300 jobs and invest $700 million to manufacture electrified F-150s—both hybrids and full electric models. The investment includes a new facility to assemble battery cells into battery packs for the electrified vehicles.

The announcement wasn’t a total surprise: It followed Ford’s promise in UAW contract negotiations this fall to invest $700 million in Dearborn and $1.1 billion in Wayne, along with “creating and retaining” 8,500 jobs at U.S. plants.

According to Ford’s president, Joe Hinrichs, the company is focused on building on their strengths and expanding to their leadership into electric and autonomous vehicles. Ford announced earlier this year that it was dedicating 91% of its capital to developing and manufacturing trucks and SUVs, up from 64% from 2016 to 2018.

Ford's Wayne assembly plant currently has 3,000 employees, including 2,800 hourly. It was retooled in 2018 to shift from production of the Ford Focus compact to the Ranger. The Dearborn Truck has 4,400 employees, 4,200 of them hourly.

All told, in the 2019 UAW contract, Ford agreed to invest $6 billion in its U.S. factories.