Ford is upgrading its Cleveland Engine Plant and creating or retaining 150 jobs to support the strong demand for the automaker’s second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine.

The Cleveland Engine Plant produces the current version of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, which powers 2016 Ford F-150, Explorer, Expedition, Transit, Flex and Taurus. The plant also builds the 2.0-liter EcoBoost for Edge, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost for Explorer, Mustang and Lincoln MKC, as well as the 3.7-liter V6 rear-wheel-drive application for Mustang.

“Ford customers have embraced EcoBoost’s unbeatable combination of power and efficiency, with more than 60 percent of F-150 customers choosing trucks powered by EcoBoost,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “This second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine is another great example of Ford continuously improving and innovating to give these hardworking customers the best engines and trucks we can.”

The $145 million upgrade is part of Ford’s $9 billion commitment to creating or securing 8,500 jobs as part of the 2015 Ford-UAW collective bargaining agreement.

 

Cleveland Engine Plant opened in 1951 and employs more than 1,500 people. It has produced more than 1 million EcoBoost engines since 2009.