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Study on Ford’s BlueOval SK shows growth impact it will have in Kentucky

(Credit: Ford)

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A study on Ford’s $5.8 billion BlueOval SK battery park shows the growth impact it will have in Kentucky. The Hardin County Chamber of Commerce (HCCC) recently released a long-term economic impact study it commissioned to show the effects Ford’s BlueOval SK Battery park would have on Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and the state of Kentucky. 

“With the impending arrival of BlueOval SK and the prospect of 5,000 new jobs, it was crucial for HCCC, a conduit for regional business growth, to gain a deeper understanding of future implications,” said HCCC President and CEO Marty Moorman.

The study found that Ford and South Korean battery supplier SK On’s battery facility in Kentucky will be one of the largest in the world—in terms of square footage. It will be the 10th largest manufacturing site in the world, right behind Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai. However, compared to other electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing sites, BlueOval SK is the largest in the world and is projected to have the most capacity at 86 GWh.

The HCCC held an August Membership Luncheon where it shared some details of the study, listed below. 

  • an anticipated population surge of 22,380 in Hardin County, 
  • an expected direct payroll (including fringe benefits) of $3.63 billion at the battery park from 2026 to 2035, 
  • an anticipated need for 8,811 new housing units in Hardin County, 
  • an expected total of 3,901 new K-12 students and 
  • a projected need for 75 new hospital beds, 389 new hospital jobs, and 380 new ambulatory care jobs.

“With projections that include substantial population growth, increased employment opportunities, and a boost to various sectors of the local economy, this report sheds light on the kind of growth this region should expect and hopefully can influence and guide local businesses and organizations to implement strategies to appropriately grow in tandem,” noted L.B. Schmidt and Associates President Luke Schmidt who presented details of the report during the luncheon. 

The growth generated by BOSK will significantly impact the Elizabethtown Metro. The study found that each billion dollars spent on construction will support 11,600 jobs annually in the region. BOSK has an estimated employment multiplier of 1.603 for a total of 8,016 jobs. By EOY 2026, Ford’s BlueOval SK battery plan will have a direct plant payroll of $265 million or $363 million, including fringe benefits. From 2026 to 2035, the BOSK facility is projected to have a direct payroll impact of $2.65 billion or $3.63 billion, including fringe benefits.

Some of the key projections for BOSK are listed below. 

  • Battery plant construction period: 2022 through 2024; investment of $5.8 billion with an average of 4,500 construction jobs over three years with an average annual pay of $50,000 
  • The plant will begin battery production by EOY 2024 with 2,500 full-time employees; EOY 2025 with 5,000 full-time employees with average annual pay of $53,000; with fringe benefits: $73,000* 
  • Battery plant will attract several new supplier/support businesses to Hardin County.

Read the full study below.

HCCC Impact Study on Ford's BlueOval SK EV Battery Park by Maria Merano on Scribd

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The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via X @Writer_01001101.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk sends stern warning to Tesla vandals, doubters

Elon Musk sent another warning to vandals that have attacked Tesla for political reasons.

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NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk has sent a stern warning to Tesla vandals, doubters, and attackers, who have subjected the company and its owners to political violence through arson and other modes of retaliation.

Over the past few months, Tesla showrooms and vehicles have been hit with numerous attacks from those who have opposed Musk and his political involvement with the Trump Administration. Although Musk has stepped back from his role within government significantly since the start of May, the company is still looked at as a political target.

While the White House has put a clear-cut line on the acts, calling them domestic terrorism and holding those responsible for the damage they have done, there are still numerous and daily instances of keying cars or worse.

Yesterday, Musk continued to send stern warnings to those who oppose Tesla and choose to handle their distaste for the company with violence and vandalism. In a Bloomberg interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, Musk was asked if he took what has happened to Tesla “over the past few months personally.”

Musk replied simply but sternly: “Yes.”

He went on to say that not only will those who vandalized the company and its products owned by consumers be held to the fullest extent of the law, but also those who fund it.

Musk also said during a CNBC interview yesterday that very few people buy a company’s products because of the CEO’s political beliefs, and many people do not even know where those CEOs stand on various social issues.

Although Musk has gone out of his way to be transparent about his beliefs, he has a valid point. He obviously felt that, because of his influence, he held a duty to uphold American values and protect what he felt was an attack on free speech and human rights.

Disagreeing with Musk and his political stances is totally reasonable, but damaging products that consumers bought from his companies is not impacting him directly. Instead, it is making consumers’ lives more difficult.

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Tesla Model 3 gets perfect 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating

Tesla prides itself on producing some of the safest vehicles on the road today.

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Credit: Tesla Singapore/X

Tesla prides itself on producing some of the safest vehicles on the road today. Based on recent findings from the Euro NCAP, the 2025 Model 3 sedan continues this tradition, with the vehicle earning a 5-star overall safety rating from the agency.

Standout Safety Features

As could be seen on the Euro NCAP’s official website, the 2025 Model 3 achieved an overall score of 90% for Adult Occupants, 93% for Child Occupants, 89% for Vulnerable Road Users, and 87% for Safety Assist. This rating, as per the Euro NCAP, applies to the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive, Long Range Rear Wheel Drive, Long Range All Wheel Drive, and Performance All Wheel Drive.

The Euro NCAP highlighted a number of the Model 3’s safety features, such as its Active Hood, which automatically lifts during collisions to mitigate injury risks to vulnerable road users, and Automatic Emergency Braking System, which now detects motorcycles through an upgraded algorithm. The Euro NCAP also mentioned the Model 3’s feature that prevents initial door opening if someone is approaching the vehicle’s blind spot.

Standout Safety Features

In a post on its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account, Tesla noted that the company is also introducing new features that make the Model 3 even safer than it is today. These include functions like head-on collision avoidance and crossing traffic AEB, as well as Child Left Alone Detection, among other safety features.

“We also introduced new features to improve Safety Assist functionality even further – like head-on collision avoidance & crossing traffic AEB – to detect & respond to potential hazards faster, helping avoid accidents in the first place. 

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“Lastly, we released Child Left Alone Detection – if an unattended child is detected, the vehicle will turn on HVAC & alert caregivers via phone app & the vehicle itself (flashing lights/audible alert). Because we’re using novel in-cabin radar sensing, your Tesla is able to distinguish between adult vs child – reduced annoyance to adults, yet critical safety feature for kids,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.

Below is the Euro NCAP’s safety report on the 2025 Tesla Model 3 sedan.

Euroncap 2025 Tesla Model 3 Datasheet by Simon Alvarez on Scribd

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Elon Musk

USDOT Secretary visits Tesla Giga Texas, hints at national autonomous vehicle standards

The Transportation Secretary also toured the factory’s production lines and spoke with CEO Elon Musk.

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Credit: Elon Musk/X

United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean Duffy recently visited Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas complex, where he toured the factory’s production lines and spoke with CEO Elon Musk. In a video posted following his Giga Texas visit, Duffy noted that he believes there should be a national standard for autonomous vehicles in the United States.

Duffy’s Giga Texas Visit

As could be seen in videos of his Giga Texas visit, the Transportation Secretary seemed to appreciate the work Tesla has been doing to put the United States in the forefront of innovation. “Tesla is one of the many companies helping our country reach new heights. USDOT will be right there all the way to make sure Americans stay safe,” Duffy wrote in a post on X. 

He also praised Tesla for its autonomous vehicle program, highlighting that “We need American companies to keep innovating so we can outcompete the rest of the world.”

National Standard

While speaking with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Transportation Secretary stated that other autonomous ride-hailing companies have been lobbying for a national standard for self-driving cars. Musk shared the sentiment, stating that “It’d be wonderful for the United States to have a national set of rules for autonomous driving as opposed to 50 independent sets of rules on a state-by-state rules basis.”

Duffy agreed with the CEO’s point, stating that, “You can’t have 50 different rules for 50 different states. You need one standard.” He also noted that the Transportation Department has asked autonomous vehicle companies to submit data. By doing so, the USDOT could develop a standard for the entire United States, allowing self-driving cars to operate in a manner that is natural and safe.

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