Ford makes $135 million investment in production of hybrid vehicles

YPSILANTI, Mich. (WXYZ) - Ford Motor Company is investing $135 million dollars across North America to design, engineer and produce components for their next generation hybrid vehicles.

The vehicles are scheduled to go into production in 2012.

As part of the investment, Ford will make a big investment in Michigan. That investment includes bringing green technology jobs to the state and making Michigan the center of Ford's vehicle electrification program.

Among the places jobs will be created are at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission plants. The company is planning on assembling battery packs at the Rawsonville Plant. The Van Dyke plant will be used to produce new electric-drive transaxle. Both projects will bring jobs back to Michigan from overseas facilities.

The new hybrids are part of Ford's plan to launch five electrified vehicles in the United States by 2012.

Those vehicles are scheduled to be unveiled in Europe in 2013.