Congress Probes Ford’s Big Battery Deal With China’s CATL
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In a public letter to Ford boss Jim Farley, House Republicans Mike Gallagher and Jason Smith announced that two congressional committees are investigating the automaker’s licensing deal with Chinese battery maker CATL.
The investigation focuses on Ford’s efforts to use CATL’s battery cell technology in an upcoming $3.5 billion battery cell plant in Michigan.
In your letterthe chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Select Committee on China call on Ford to deliver details about its agreement with CATL before August 10.
Representatives have requested communications between Ford and the Biden administration regarding the CATL agreement. In addition, they asked Ford to explain how it will “ensure that CATL imports to produce LFP batteries in Michigan are free of forced labor or inputs from Xinjiang.”
Reached by TechCrunch, a Ford spokesperson declined to comment on the details of the letter. The spokesperson reiterated a statement that the automaker “is only investing $3.5 billion and will own and operate this plant in the United States, rather than build a battery plant elsewhere or exclusively import LFP batteries from China like our competitors do.”
Earlier this week, House Republicans announced a separate investigation into Investments by US venture firms in China.
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