August 18, 2022

A multibillion-dollar EV battery plant may be coming to St. Joseph County


Article origination WVPE 88.1 Elkhart/South Bend
A rendering of the companys Lansing, Mich. facility, which is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2024. - Provided by Ultium Cells

A rendering of the companys Lansing, Mich. facility, which is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2024.

Provided by Ultium Cells

A multibillion-dollar electric vehicle battery plant may be coming to St. Joseph County.

Ultium Cells, a joint venture between LG Energy Solutions and General Motors, has submitted a county tax abatement application for the proposal — which representatives describe as a “potential large investment” — to be built near New Carlisle.

The company has one plant in Warren, Ohio with production slated to start this month and is currently building two more facilities — one in Spring Hill, Tenn. and the other in Lansing, Mich.

Ultium Cells was awarded a $2.5 billion Department of Energy Loan earlier this year to help finance those three facilities, which will supply batteries for GM vehicles as part of the company’s goal to go all-electric by 2035.

If the Indiana proposal is of a similar scope, St. Joseph County could net a more than $2 billion, 2.8 million square foot facility that would employ over 1,000 people.

In an emailed statement, Ultium Cells spokeswoman Brooke Waid said a tax abatement would be a “critical step” to move the proposal forward, and that the company “looks forward to the application being reviewed and hopefully approved later this month.”

No further details on the project have been released at this time.

Contact Jakob at jlazzaro@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @JakobLazzaro.

If you appreciate this kind of journalism on your local NPR station, please support it by donating here.

Copyright 2022 WVPE 88.1 Elkhart/South Bend. To see more, visit WVPE 88.1 Elkhart/South Bend.

 

Support independent journalism today. You rely on WFYI to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Donate to power our nonprofit reporting today. Give now.

 

Related News

Hoosier Survey shows health care, public safety and school safety are top priorities
Gov.-elect Mike Braun announces first four cabinet appointments
State Police Superintendent to retire