Envision AESC announces business investment in Bowling Green, creating 2,000 jobs

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Envision AESC, a Japanese electric vehicle battery technology company, along with Gov. Andy Beshear, announced Wednesday its $2 billion investment to build a new, state-of-the-art gigafactory in the Kentucky Transpark in Bowling Green.

The 30GWh plant will create 2,000 skilled jobs in the region, producing battery cells and modules to power the next generation EVs produced for multiple global automotive manufacturers.

“We are thrilled that Envision AESC – the world’s leading EV battery technology company – has picked Kentucky,” said Beshear. “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. This project will create 2,000 great jobs of the future for residents in the Warren County region.”

According to a release, the investment cements Kentucky’s leading role in the automotive industry of the future.

For Envision AESC, the facility marks the next stage of growth. The company will produce new generation battery cells with 30% more energy density than the current generation, reduced charging time and increased range and efficiency for EVs, powering up to 300,000 vehicles annually by 2027.

The gigafactory will be powered by 100% renewable energy, supplied by onsite generation and purchased locally from the Tennessee Valley Authority, ensuring the plant helps drive progress toward decarbonizing the state’s industrial sector.

“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.,” said Shoichi Matsumoto, the CEO of Envision AESC Group. “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 Bowling Green area has an outstanding automotive workforce today, as well as the future pipeline of talent needed, and we are excited to support this with new jobs in the high growth electrification segment,” said Jeff Deaton, the Envision AESC U.S. Managing Director. “The addition of this new facility will make Kentucky the new gigafactory capital of the U.S., well positioned to meet the forecasted growth of EVs and attract future investment.”

The plant will be approximately 3 million square feet.

“I am so grateful for the work that was started years ago through Chamber initiatives like South Central Kentucky Launch to ensure that our future workforce is prepared to meet the community’s growing talent demands,” said Bowling Green Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon. “It’s this type of forward thinking that attracts world-class companies like Envision AESC.”

Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott said this was something the area had never seen before.

“This announcement boasts the largest investment amount, job creation and facility size in our history,” he said. “It’s phenomenal for the future of our region.”

You can watch the announcement here.

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