DEARBORN – Ford Motor Co. announced Thursday it will build a new, 500,000-square-foot electric vehicle manufacturing operation at the historic Ford Rouge Center that will create 300 new jobs to support battery assembly and production of hybrid and battery-electric versions of its popular F-150 pick-up truck.

Ford hopes to roll out the electrified F-150 in mid 2022.

Separately, Ford is launching its next-generation F-150 sometime before year’s end.

Ford said it will invest $700 million in the Rouge complex to support production of the both version of the pick up.

Ford describes the news facility as its most technologically-advanced. It will feature robots working alongside employees, and self-driving “sleds” that can move vehicle beds between stations.