Slight changes to the big budget bill left the factory’s tax credits intact, according to the carmaker, which will use the batteries to make more affordable electric vehicles.
Ford Motor said it would open a new plant in Michigan that could become ineligible for federal incentives under a policy bill championed by President Trump and passed by the House.
In a presidential battleground state, electric vehicles have emerged as a contested piece of the economic future — a job-killer or a job-creator.
The company cited concerns about operating the factory competitively. It’s not clear if the pause is linked to its dispute with the United Auto Workers.