Ford announced that Dave Carroll will become the next president of its battery‑storage subsidiary, effective Aug. 31, replacing longtime executive Lisa Drake who is retiring after more than three decades with the automaker.
Drake will stay on through Dec. 31 to help transition operations, customer commitments and supplier relationships, the company said.
New leadership and background
Carroll arrives from Engie North America, where he served as chief executive and chief renewables officer. Over six years he helped grow Engie’s renewables assets by more than a dozen times, according to the filing.
His experience spans development and financing of low‑carbon projects, a skill set the automaker says aligns with the subsidiary’s shift from launch to scale.
“Dave brings a rare, buy‑side perspective on what utilities and other customers truly require as they build out power infrastructure — exactly the skill set and insight we need,” the president and CEO Jim Farley said in an Aug. 27 release.
Carroll will report directly to Ford vice chair John Lawler and will oversee battery cell production, system assembly, commercial strategy and sales.
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Production plans and market focus
The unit, launched in May, targets the growing demand for large‑scale storage from data centers, utilities and industrial users across the United States.
It aims to ship at least 20 GWh of storage systems each year.
First deliveries are expected in late 2027.
The unit’s flagship offering is a standardized 20‑foot container packed with 512‑amp‑hour lithium‑iron‑phosphate prismatic cells, a design meant for easy deployment.
Unused capacity at the former BlueOval SK joint‑venture plant in Glendale, Kentucky will be repurposed for full‑cell manufacturing, module assembly and container integration.
The Kentucky site will handle everything from raw material processing to final system testing, the company noted.
“I’ve spent my career developing, financing and operating energy assets, and I’m excited to join Ford because there’s no bigger opportunity in this market than building a category‑defining energy business for one of America’s most iconic and important companies,” Carroll said.
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While the plant’s idle machines will finally have something to do, the move also reflects Ford’s broader pivot away from earlier EV volume plans toward storage that matches current market signals.
Battery storage is becoming a cornerstone of the nation’s clean‑energy strategy, as utilities look for ways to balance intermittent renewable generation and keep the grid stable.
The shift signals that traditional automakers are leveraging existing manufacturing footprints to meet these new demands, a trend that could reshape supply chains.
Analysts note that the ability to produce storage domestically may reduce reliance on overseas imports and shorten lead times for critical projects.
Ford’s next step includes scaling the business to rank among North America’s leading storage providers, a goal outlined in the executive’s remarks.
Customer contracts are being finalized, and the first units are slated for shipment by the close of 2027, according to the announcement.
