Kentucky Governor Beshear just announced today that Envision AESC, a world-leading Japanese electric vehicle battery technology company, will be investing $2 billion in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to build a 30 GWh gigafactory. The project, which has the potential to expand to 40 GWh, will supply enough batteries to power 300,000 EVs annually from a variety of automotive manufacturers.
The project will create 2,000 new jobs in the commonwealth and make the region a national leader in battery production (adding to the previously announced Ford battery plant).
Governor Beshear said:
“We are thrilled that Envision AESC — the world’s leading EV battery technology company — has picked Kentucky. Envision AESC is making the second largest economic development investment Kentucky has ever seen, investing $2billion to build a new, state-of-the-art EV battery gigafactory in Bowling Green. Even better: This project will create 2,000 great jobs of the future for residents in the Warren County region. And with this investment Envision AESC will generate a 30GWh site, which increases Kentucky’s production to 116GWh, making the commonwealth the nation’s top producer of electric vehicle batteries.”
The new generation battery cells will have 30 percent more energy density than current generation.
Additionally, the gigafactory is to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy that is supplied onsite and also purchased from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
The CEO of Envision AESC Group, Shoichi Matsumoto, said:
“We are pleased to partner with Kentucky and Bowling Green as part of our next phase battery strategy to power next generation EVs in the U.S. This major investment builds on our commitment to the U.S. market, supports growth of the electrification supply chain and secures high value jobs for future generations in the region. This commitment takes us one step further toward our ambition to make high-performance, longer-range batteries for a diverse range of automotive manufacturers worldwide to support the EV transition.”
The plant will be about 3 million square feet and marks one of the largest economic projects in the commonwealth’s history.
Related story: South Central Kentucky Announces Second Largest Economic Development Project in State’s History
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