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Congress has not publicly established that Ford violated the law or exposed U.S. infrastructure to a security risk. House committees first sought information in 2023 about Ford’s proposed licensing arrangement with China’s CATL for a Michigan battery plant; in January 2026, the House Select Committee on China asked Ford for updated details as the company announced plans to use U.S. manufacturing capacity for battery energy storage. The public letters and Ford announcements describe the questions and plans, not the confidential contract terms or Ford’s answer.
What Congress is investigating
The dispute concerns Ford’s proposed use of technology licensed from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL), a Chinese battery maker, for a Ford-owned Michigan plant intended to produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. The congressional scrutiny has focused on the scope and terms of that license, the sourcing and production arrangements around the plant, and whether the relationship raises tax-credit, cybersecurity or operational concerns.
In a January 27, 2026 letter, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar asked Ford for information about current and planned battery-related licensing and procurement involving Chinese entities. He wrote: “Given recent developments, I respectfully request additional information regarding Ford’s current and planned battery-related licensing and procurement arrangements involving Chinese entities.” A request for information is not a finding of wrongdoing; the letter states the committee’s questions, not proven legal or security violations.
How the inquiry developed
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 20, 2023 | House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith and Select Committee on China Chairman Mike Gallagher wrote to Ford CEO James Farley. They said, “We are investigating the recently announced partnership between Ford Motor Company (Ford) and Contemporary Amperex Technology, Co. Limited (CATL),” and requested the licensing agreement, related communications, and details about materials, labor and sourcing. |
| July 21, 2023 | TechCrunch reported on the inquiry and the proposed Michigan plant. It also reported Ford’s position that Ford alone would invest in, own and operate the facility. |
| June 23, 2025 | Ford executive Lisa Drake said BlueOval Battery Park Michigan was under construction, with the building complete and process systems being installed. She said prototype cells were being produced at an equipment supplier’s site. |
| December 15, 2025 | Ford announced plans for a battery energy storage business using U.S. manufacturing capacity, with first customer deliveries planned for late 2027. |
| January 27, 2026 | Moolenaar requested updated information about licensing, procurement, possible changes to the agreement, tax credits, and cybersecurity or operational risks. The letter requested a response by February 4, 2026. |
The 2023 congressional letter described Ford’s proposed Michigan investment as about $3.5 billion. That is a historical figure for the announced project as recounted by the committees, not a statement of the plant’s current budget.
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What changed in Ford’s battery plans
Ford’s June 2025 update described BlueOval Battery Park Michigan as a Ford-owned LFP production facility under construction. Drake said the plant was intended to bring LFP production technology to the United States and described the facility as “wholly owned and operated by Ford.” At that point, Ford said prototype cells were being made off-site while equipment was installed at the Michigan location.
In December 2025, Ford announced a broader battery energy storage business for data centers, utilities and industrial customers. Its plan is to make LFP prismatic cells, modules and container systems using U.S. manufacturing capacity. Ford set a target of at least 20 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of annual battery-storage deployment capacity and said it planned first customer deliveries in late 2027. Those figures are company targets and plans, not verified production or deliveries.
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The shift toward grid-scale storage is the stated reason for the 2026 follow-up: Moolenaar’s letter cited public statements that U.S. battery facilities would be repurposed for LFP cells and energy storage. The announcement changes the business context around the plant, but it does not by itself establish that Ford changed its CATL license.
What the January 2026 letter asks Ford to clarify
- License terms and changes: Whether the existing CATL technology license remains in effect and whether it was amended after July 4, 2025.
- Tax-credit eligibility: Whether the arrangements affect eligibility for tax credits cited by the committee. The letter raises the issue; it does not determine Ford’s eligibility or establish a tax violation.
- Cybersecurity and operational risk: What risks may arise from the licensed technology or the parties’ relationship.
- Procurement and other Chinese relationships: Details about battery-related procurement and any potential new arrangements with Chinese automakers.
The committee’s concerns are questions for Ford to answer. The public material described here does not disclose the complete license, any amendments, the extent of any ongoing technical dependence, or Ford’s response to the January letter. It therefore cannot establish whether the deal changed, how royalties or other terms are structured, or how the committee’s tax-credit questions apply.
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What is known—and what remains unresolved
Ford’s public statements describe a facility it says it owns and operates, its construction progress as of June 2025, and its later plans for energy storage. The committee letters document lawmakers’ concerns and information requests. Those are distinct kinds of evidence: Ford’s announcements establish what the company said it planned, while the letters establish what lawmakers asked or alleged—not that the concerns have been substantiated.
The public documents cited here do not show whether Ford responded by the requested February 4, 2026 deadline. Nor do they reveal the confidential contract terms needed to assess the relationship in detail. Until those are made public or otherwise confirmed, claims about a changed agreement, tax-credit outcome, or proven security exposure would go beyond the established facts.
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