US lawmaker scrutinizes Ford plan to produce batteries with technology from CATL

WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The Republican chair of a U.S. House committee is scrutinizing Ford's F.N plan to repurpose its existing U.S. battery manufacturing facilities to produce lithium iron phosphate cells and grid-scale energy storage systems using technology licensed from China's CATL 300750.SZ.

In a letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Representative John Moolenaar said Ford's plan raises concerns. "Ford’s revised business plan raises important questions about whether the original licensing terms have been updated, expanded, or otherwise altered to accommodate the company’s new focus on energy storage systems and data center markets," Moolenaar wrote, asking Ford to answer a series of questions about the arrangement with CATL.