State and local officials joined executives from Envision AESC to break ground on a $2 billion state-of-the-art electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Warren County’s Kentucky Transpark.
Envision AESC’s investment will create 2,000 full-time jobs in the region to operate its 30 gigawatt-hour plant, which has the potential to expand to 40 gigawatt-hours.
At the plant, the world-leading Japanese EV battery technology company will produce battery cells and modules that will power next-generation EVs by multiple global automotive manufacturers.
Warren County Judge/Executive Mike Buchanon noted the significant scale of the project.
“This groundbreaking is a monumental event for our region and is the largest investment announcement our community has ever seen,” Judge Buchanon said. “The economic impact of this project will generate $20 billion over the next decade, and at full employment, will generate over $233 million in new spending in the community annually.”
The groundbreaking of the approximately 3 million-square-foot Kentucky operation marks the next step for one of the largest economic development projects in the state’s history.
Envision AESC’s facility further establishes Kentucky as a leader in the automotive industry of the future. The company will produce next-generation battery cells that provide 30 percent more energy density than the current generation, leading to reduced charging times and increased range and efficiency for EVs.
The operation is expected to power up to 300,000 vehicles annually by 2027. It also will make EVs more accessible and affordable by implementing high-tech capabilities to increase cost-competitiveness and technological expertise of EV battery production in Kentucky and in the United States. The gigafactory will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy, supplied by onsite generation and purchased locally from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Japan-based Envision AESC is a world-leading battery technology company committed to research, development, design, manufacture and sales of high-power batteries for EVs and energy storage batteries.
The company has 4,000 employees across 10 production plants in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, China and France. During the past 12 years, Envision AESC has produced high-performance, extended range batteries for more than 650,000 EVs in 44 countries, achieving a record of “zero critical battery malfunction.” In June 2021, Envision AESC was named to the “Global Tier 1 Battery Companies” list by Benchmark, a leading U.K.-based lithium-ion battery supply chain research organization.
Envision AESC invests heavily in next-generation technology to drive innovation and works with its strategic partners to continually push the boundaries of performance, safety and efficiency. Its teams work with strategic partners to continuously improve the company’s global leadership in product development, quality and sustainable processes.
As an integral part of its global strategy, Envision AESC works collaboratively with businesses, supply chains, academic institutions and governments to accelerate the transition to zero emissions mobility in the coming decades. Envision AESC has committed to achieve net zero carbon emissions in all global operations in 2022 and carbon neutrality across the whole value supply chain by 2028.
Envision AESC leadership noted Kentucky’s strong automotive manufacturing base, skilled workforce and excellent infrastructure as deciding factors in the site selection process.
Envision AESC’s investment and planned job creation builds on recent economic momentum in the commonwealth as the state builds back stronger from the effects of the pandemic.
For more information on Envision AESC, visit Envision-AESC.com/en. A detailed community profile for Warren County can be viewed here.
Photos by Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce
