FACTBOX: Facts about U.S. loans to Ford, Nissan, Tesla

(Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department announced $8 billion in loans to Ford Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co Ltd and California start-up Tesla Motors Inc for developing more fuel efficient vehicles.

Details of the loans and how the companies plan to use the money follow:

* Ford will receive $5.9 billion in loans through 2011 to help finance engineering advances to traditional gasoline engines and electrified vehicles. In addition, Ford will convert two truck plants for the production of cars. The company will concentrate on more than a dozen models, including the Escape SUV, Taurus, and F-150 pickup. The money will help transform facilities in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan and Ohio. Ford plans to invest $14 billion in new technologies. It hopes much of that money will come from federal loans.

* Nissan will receive $1.6 billion to produce electric cars and battery packs at its manufacturing complex in Smyrna, Tennessee. The loan will aid in the construction of a new lithium-ion battery plant and modifications to the existing assembly facility. Nissan aims to produce an all-electric car. Nissan will offer electric vehicles to fleet and retail customers, and plans to ramp up production capacity in Smyrna to up to 150,000 vehicles annually.

* Tesla Motors will receive two loans totaling $465 million to advance electric vehicles. The first loan will finance a manufacturing facility for the all-electric Tesla Model S sedan, which runs on power from a conventional 120V or 220V outlet. Production will begin in 2011 and ramp up to 20,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2013. The second loan will support a facility to make battery packs and electric drive trains to be used in Teslas and in vehicles built by other automakers, including the Smart For Two city car by Daimler AG.

(Reporting by John Crawley; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)