Ford Appoints Lisa Drake as President of Ford Energy to Lead New Battery Energy Storage Systems Business
Ford Motor Company has taken a significant step in expanding its presence in the rapidly evolving energy sector by appointing Lisa Drake as President of Ford Energy, effective immediately. In this newly created leadership role, Drake will report directly to John Lawler, Vice Chair of Ford Motor Company, and will be responsible for launching and scaling Ford’s new battery energy storage systems (BESS) business. The formation of Ford Energy was first announced in December 2025, marking a strategic move to leverage the company’s deep expertise in batteries, manufacturing, and supply chain management beyond electric vehicles.
The appointment underscores Ford’s ambition to become a major player in the fast-growing global market for battery energy storage, which is increasingly critical for supporting grid stability, integrating renewable energy, and meeting the needs of utilities and large energy users. With Drake at the helm, Ford Energy is positioned to build a comprehensive, end-to-end energy storage business that spans battery cell manufacturing, system assembly, commercialization, and long-term customer partnerships.
A Strategic Leadership Appointment
John Lawler emphasized the importance of Drake’s appointment, highlighting her proven ability to scale complex industrial operations and manage critical supply chains—capabilities that are essential for success in the energy storage market. According to Lawler, Ford Energy represents a major growth opportunity for the company as global demand accelerates for reliable, large-scale battery systems that can enhance grid resilience and energy security.
“Lisa has deep expertise in scaling complex industrial systems and securing critical supply chains,” Lawler said. “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.”
Ford’s decision to elevate Drake into this role reflects both confidence in her leadership and recognition of the strategic importance of energy storage in the broader energy transition. As grids worldwide adapt to higher levels of renewable generation, battery energy storage systems are becoming indispensable for balancing supply and demand, reducing outages, and ensuring reliable power delivery.
Scope of Responsibilities at Ford Energy
As President of Ford Energy, Drake will oversee the full scope of the business’s operations. This includes battery cell manufacturing, system integration and assembly, go-to-market strategy, and sales. She will also be tasked with building a future-ready leadership team capable of executing Ford Energy’s long-term vision and capitalizing on a high-growth market opportunity.
The new business unit is designed to take advantage of Ford’s existing investments in battery technology and U.S.-based manufacturing infrastructure. By extending these capabilities into stationary energy storage, Ford aims to unlock additional value from its battery supply chain while diversifying revenue streams beyond the automotive sector.
Initially, Ford Energy will focus on utility-scale battery energy storage systems targeted at large customers such as utilities, grid operators, and major industrial energy users. Over time, the company also plans to offer battery cells that can be used in residential energy storage solutions, broadening its addressable market and reinforcing its role across multiple segments of the energy ecosystem.
Leveraging Deep Battery and Manufacturing Expertise
Drake brings to the role a strong background in industrialization, engineering, and purchasing—experience that will be central to operationalizing Ford Energy. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Technology Platform Programs and EV Systems, where she led the industrial plan for batteries and electric propulsion engineering across Ford’s electric vehicle portfolio.
In that role, Drake played a key part in scaling Ford’s battery operations and ensuring alignment between engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain functions. This experience directly translates to the challenges of launching a new energy storage business, where cost efficiency, reliability, and supply security are critical success factors.
Ford Energy is expected to benefit from the company’s vertically integrated approach to batteries, including in-house knowledge of cell chemistry, manufacturing processes, and system-level optimization. By applying lessons learned from electric vehicle battery production, Ford aims to deliver high-quality, cost-competitive energy storage solutions that meet the demanding requirements of grid-scale applications.
Supporting Grid Stability and the Energy Transition
Battery energy storage systems are increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of modern energy systems. They enable greater penetration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar by smoothing intermittency, storing excess generation, and providing fast-response services to the grid. In many regions, energy storage is also playing a growing role in improving resilience against extreme weather events and reducing the risk of blackouts.
Ford Energy’s focus on utility-scale BESS aligns with these market dynamics. By offering large-scale storage solutions, the company intends to support utilities and grid operators as they modernize infrastructure and respond to rising electricity demand driven by electrification, data centers, and industrial growth.
Drake noted that Ford Energy represents an opportunity to maximize the value of Ford’s battery manufacturing capabilities while contributing meaningfully to the broader energy transition.
“Ford Energy allows us to maximize the value of our battery manufacturing capabilities,” Drake said. “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.”
Building a New Growth Platform for Ford
The launch of Ford Energy reflects a broader strategy to position Ford as not only an automaker, but also an energy and technology company. By entering the stationary energy storage market, Ford is tapping into a sector with strong long-term growth prospects driven by decarbonization goals, grid modernization, and rising energy demand.
For Ford, the move also provides a way to further monetize its investments in battery plants and technology, smoothing utilization across automotive and non-automotive applications. This diversification could help mitigate cyclicality in vehicle markets while strengthening Ford’s role across the energy value chain.
Under Drake’s leadership, Ford Energy is expected to move quickly from formation to execution, assembling the right team, establishing partnerships, and bringing competitive products to market. With her track record in scaling operations and aligning complex organizations, Drake is well positioned to guide the new business through its critical early stages.
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