MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Blue Oval City's highly anticipated full size electric pickup truck will have to take a back seat for the time being.
On Wednesday, Ford Motor Company announced they are switching gears on its electric vehicle strategy because of tough competition from other automakers with lower costs.
The announcement that Blue Oval City would be making its way to West Tennessee came just two years ago.
One business owner in Stanton, Tennessee, told ABC24 she's not sure how that announcement will help or hurt the job market in their community.
Suga's Diner owner, Lesa Tard said she's optimistic about the future outlook of Blue Oval once production is up and running. Tard said business for her has picked up by 75% since they arrived in the area. She believes the delayed production announcement is not all bad news.
"We have been expecting them next at full production, but the delay, I guess it is what it is," Tard said.
The company said shifting their electric vehicle strategy will save on costs for electric vehicle batteries, and also bring more profit before taxes within a year.
Allan Stervinsky, the mayor of Stanton, told ABC24 the delayed production announcement gives the town more time to address infrastructure concerns.
"I'm glad they're taking strategic advantages of technology and price brakes on things. I'm glad about that," he said. "I'm sad about people not having a job as soon as we want them to."
Stervinsky shared that by the time 2027 or 2028 comes they will be out of water and sewer capacity. He said the delayed production should give them time to find the funding needed to resolve the issue.
According to Stervinsky, based on an independent study, by 2035, their population is expected to grow from 500 to 10,000 people.
He said a federal grant of $11.6 million, half of which is a loan, will need to be offset with the help of the region.
"That provides us with the basis of which we can pay for the operations the maintenance, the principle, the interest, and depreciation," Stervinsky said.
The Stanton mayor said they want to preserve the historical parts of Stanton. He believes Ford Company is going to do the right thing with continuing to boost this area's economy with the jobs they promised.
"Ford has come out and said this is what we're planning to do. They are people of integrity, and I trust them to tell us what's going on and I believe exactly that," he said.