Battery, EV investment has promised more than 16K jobs in KY. Here are the projects
A new utility-scale battery manufacturing plant announced Friday is coming to Shelby County as one of several such investments expected to bring thousands of jobs to Kentucky.
The Shelbyville plant, owned by Canadian Solar, is one of several large battery plants going up in the commonwealth, including two others in Hardin County expected to bring 5,000 jobs.
The Shelbyville plant will bring 1,500 jobs to the area, according to the latest announcement.
It’s all part of a larger effort to future-proof Kentucky’s economy by investing in battery technology, including for electric vehicles. According to Gov. Andy Beshear, the ultimate goal is to “cement Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States.”
Here’s what to know about other significant battery manufacturing projects Beshear has announced, including how many jobs they’re expected to create and when they’ll be operational.
2021: Ford and SK Innovation announce Hardin County plants
In 2021, Beshear announced a $5.8 billion investment by Ford Motor Corp. and South Korean-based company SK Innovation to build two battery plants in Glendale. The twin plants are expected to bring 5,000 jobs to the area.
The announcement in September 2021 marked the single largest economic development project in Kentucky’s history. At the time, the Herald-Leader reported the first plant was expected to open in 2025, with the second to follow in 2026.
The project was made possible by a number of incentives Kentucky’s legislature offered to attract investment to the state. That includes a performance-based, forgivable loan of up to $250 million, which Ford and SK Innovation won’t have to pay back if they deliver on the promised jobs and investments.
2022: Envision AESC announces 500-acre site in Bowling Green
In April 2022, Beshear and legislative leaders joined with company executives at Envision AESC to announce plans for a 2,000-job battery plant in Bowling Green.
The Japanese EV battery company’s goal for the 512-acre site was to power up to 300,000 vehicles a year by 2027. The facility would make Kentucky the “new gigafactory of the U.S.,” Envision AESC U.S. managing director Jeff Deaton said at the time.
Plans for the plant call for it to be powered by 100% renewable energy generated on-site and purchased from the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The $2 billion invested to make the project possible is the largest investment in the county’s history.
2024: Toyota brings EV production to Kentucky plant
In February of this year, Toyota announced it would be investing $1.3 billion at its flagship plant in Georgetown for a new battery-powered SUV assembly line.
While it’s not clear whether the investment will result in new jobs, in order to receive up to $240 million in state economic incentives, Toyota has to maintain at least 8,055 jobs at the plant. The incentives can be suspended altogether if employment drops below 7,750 jobs.
Correction 4:07 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025: This story and headline have been updated to reflect the Shelbyville project is for utility-scale batteries.
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This story was originally published November 15, 2024 at 3:15 PM.