- Establishes new business unit focused on utility scale battery energy storage for grid stability and large energy users
- Taps domestic manufacturing and supply chain capabilities as US competition for battery capacity accelerates
- Deepens Ford’s strategic exposure to power markets and industrial decarbonization sectors
Ford Motor Company has appointed Lisa Drake as president of Ford Energy and confirmed that the new business unit will bring Ford into the battery energy storage systems market. The company disclosed plans for the unit in December 2025, positioning it to serve utilities and large commercial energy buyers seeking dispatchable power and grid balancing solutions.
A Strategic Push Into Power Markets
Ford Energy expands the company’s decarbonization strategy beyond electric vehicles by treating batteries as multi-market assets. While EV sales determine automotive margins, stationary storage exposes manufacturers to power markets, resilience investment, and industrial decarbonization. That competitive logic continues to motivate automakers in the US, Europe, and China to secure battery supply, proprietary cell chemistry, and balance-of-system capabilities.
Drake will report to John Lawler, vice chair, and lead the full value chain, spanning cell manufacturing, pack assembly, power electronics, control systems, and commercial sales channels.
“Lisa has deep expertise in scaling complex industrial systems and securing critical supply chains,” said Lawler. “Her leadership is essential as we stand up Ford Energy to capture the growing demand for reliable battery energy storage that supports grid stability and resilience for utilities and large energy users.”
Governance, Supply Chains, and Domestic Capacity
Drake’s remit reflects growing US policy alignment around domestic battery value chains. Federal and state incentives have accelerated factory announcements but power markets remain fragmented and regulated, complicating scaling timelines for storage. Utilities and independent power producers also must navigate interconnection queues and capacity accreditation rules. For Ford, control over cell supply reduces operational risk while opening access to energy storage procurement cycles that can span 10 to 20 years.
Drake previously served as vice president for Technology Platform Programs and EV Systems, where she led battery industrialization and propulsion engineering. Her purchasing and manufacturing background is viewed internally as relevant to a sector where 30 to 50 percent of system cost is locked in supply contracts.
“Ford Energy allows us to maximize the value of our battery manufacturing capabilities,” said Drake. “We’re building a business focused first on utility-scale battery energy storage systems for large customers while also offering battery cells for residential energy storage solutions.”
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Commercial Focus and Investor Attention
Utility-scale storage is one of the fastest-growing energy infrastructure categories, driven by renewable penetration, peak pricing, and resilience mandates. Costs have eased but project economics vary widely due to policy risk, merchant exposure, and interconnection. Investors watch storage markets closely because cash flow resembles infrastructure rather than automotive sales, with multi-year revenue contracts and risk sharing that can suit institutional capital.
Ford Energy’s entry may also shape competitive dynamics among suppliers of lithium-iron phosphate and nickel-manganese-cobalt cells. Domestic content rules and energy security considerations continue to influence procurement decisions among utilities and data center operators evaluating large-scale batteries for resilience and carbon objectives.
What C-Suite and Investors Should Track
Executives in power, utilities, automotive, and industrial sectors will focus on Ford’s ability to convert automotive battery capacity into stationary assets without impairing EV supply. Analysts will examine margin structure, contract strategy, and partnerships with developers and utilities. Investors will assess whether storage volumes can help derisk Ford’s battery investments, reduce idle capacity, and diversify its earnings base.
The appointment of leadership at this early stage suggests Ford intends to institutionalize storage as a core business rather than an adjunct to EVs. That decision aligns with global decarbonization efforts where the blend of electric mobility and energy storage is increasingly viewed as a system problem with shared infrastructure and supply chains.
Global Context
Globally, stationary storage is becoming an enabler of renewable deployment and industrial electrification. China continues to dominate cell manufacturing and is scaling domestic storage deployments. Europe is reforming capacity markets and reliability frameworks to accelerate storage adoption. The US is using industrial policy and tax incentives to rebuild strategic manufacturing in batteries, critical minerals, and power electronics.
Ford’s entry adds another major manufacturer to a sector already attracting utilities, independent power producers, automakers, and oil and gas firms repositioning around electrification. That convergence highlights a broader shift in energy systems where batteries operate across mobility, infrastructure, and grid functions.
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