Fortescue Zero, part of billionaire Andrew Forrest’s iron ore group, is to kick off production at its new US manufacturing facility – at a former Ford car factory – with the a new marine battery pack.
The factory in Michigan is being transformed into an “Advanced Manufacturing Center”, with Fortescue setting up shop there to take advantage of production tax incentives made possible through the country’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Fortescue says its HV Marine Battery Pack will be the first product to use the company’s Scalable Battery Module (SBM) technology, which it says has applications across the mobility sector, from passenger cars to marine vessels and leisure vehicles.
The Marine Battery Pack will be used to power Evoa’s range of luxury marine vessels, including wake boats and tenders, with production expected to get underway from the fourth quarter of 2025.
The marine battery units are sized between 30 to 34kWh and has been specifically engineered to support Evoa’s powertrain, which is capable of up to 1,000 horsepower, and fast-charging capability in under 30 minutes. Up to 6 sub-packs can be combined to support a range of vessel sizes.
“Fortescue Zero is uniquely positioned with the expertise and experience to deliver the solutions needed to provide the zero emissions power systems to a wide range of sectors eager to decarbonise,” said Mark Hutchinson, Fortescue Energy CEO.
“This is just the beginning of what is possible with the technology we have created,” said Mark Hutchinson, the CEO of Fortescue Energy.
“We’ve pushed innovation and engineering to the limit everywhere from racetracks to mine sites and now our customers get to see the benefits of our real-world experience and get a neat solution for their battery needs that helps minimise investment and risk in their design and development program.”
Hutchinson described the centre as a “fresh start for the birthplace of the automotive industry” that will bring a new generation of manufacturing projects that will help decarbonise business and heavy industry.
The announcement comes a fortnight after Fortescue revealed that it had developed a 6MW EV fast charger that will be used to charge the massive 1.9MWh batteries set to be used in its 240-tonne battery electric haul trucks.
“Fortescue has developed the stationary fast charging solution to support the autonomous battery-electric truck,” the company said at the time.
“Equipped with robotic connection options, the charger can provide up to 6 MW of power and charge the current battery-electric T 264 in 30 minutes.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.