Gov. Pritzker Announces Major Electric Vehicle Battery Factory Coming to Kankakee County
The $2 billion investment will create 2,600 jobs at Gotion-operated plant
Governor Pritzker joined statewide and Kankakee County officials, Gotion executives, and local stakeholders today to announce a new $2 billion Gotion lithium battery plant in Manteno. This announcement came after years of work by Governor Pritzker’s administration to grow Illinois’s global reputation in the EV field, create incentives focused on the new clean energy industry, and present the state as an optimal location for businesses to expand and grow. The plant will begin production in 2024.
“In partnership with the business community and the General Assembly, two years ago we set out to make Illinois a destination for electric vehicle and clean energy companies from across the globe. With the right incentives, nation-leading infrastructure, world-class workforce, and booming clean energy production, we have transformed ourselves into an attractive location for global manufacturers,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, we take another leap forward. It’s my pleasure to welcome Gotion to Illinois and to show the world yet again that Illinois is ready to be a player on the world stage.”
Notable information from today’s announcement includes:
- This is the largest EV battery production investment in Illinois to date, and the most significant manufacturing investment in Illinois in decades.
- This plant will create 2,600 jobs that pay above the average wage for similar jobs in the area.
- The Reimagining Energy and Vehicles Act, signed into law by Governor Pritzker in 2021, provided essential incentives to secure this deal, including funds from the Invest in Illinois business closing fund championed by Governor Pritzker this year.
- The agreement includes the establishment of a state-of-the-art manufacturing training academy to educate workers for careers in clean energy. In addition, the state will offer grants to workforce providers to train and prepare regional employees for the available jobs.
- Once production begins, the plant will bolster a key supply chain line for electric vehicle manufacturing and expansion in Illinois and across the region, aiding in EV expansion and adoption as Illinois continues to work towards the Governor’s goal of putting one million EV’s on the road by 2030.
