Groundbreaking advances emerging vehicle battery production

By BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press

Kentucky has reached another stage in developing an electric vehicle battery sector. State and local officials attended a groundbreaking event Tuesday in Bowling Green for a $2 billion plant by a Japanese company that will create 2,000 jobs. The Envision AESC factory will produce battery cells and modules to power electric vehicles produced by multiple automakers. The operation is expected to power up to 300,000 vehicles annually by 2027. There are plans for a larger battery production operation in Kentucky. Ford and its battery partner will build twin battery plants outside Glendale in central Kentucky. That mega-project will create 5,000 jobs.