It would bring production of two components for electrical cars closer to home, investing $135 million in two Michigan factories, Ford Motor Co. said on Tuesday.

It would begin assembling battery packs, which currently are made in Mexico, at the Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti Township, Mich., in 2012, Ford has said.

The Detroit News reported on Tuesday that the company also said it would produce transmissions for electric cars, currently made in Japan, at the Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich.

Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields announced at the Rawsonville Plant, "We're not only bringing work back here to the good old United States, but we're bringing it in-house from an outside supplier."

He further said, "We're going to move these components to Ford's own facilities that employ our wonderful UAW workers."

The moves will create 170 jobs in Michigan, where the unemployment rate is 14 percent, largely due to a downturn in automobile manufacturing, Ford has said.

Ford was "sending a message to the world," Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said.

She further said, "You can be competitive manufacturing in the United States and in Michigan." (With Inputs from Agencies)