Dive Brief:
- Stellantis and battery maker Samsung SDI chose Kokomo, Indiana, as the site of their second joint U.S. EV battery factory, the companies announced on Wednesday.
- The upcoming battery plant will be the second site in Kokomo under StarPlus Energy, Samsung SDI and Stellantis’ EV battery joint venture. The companies began construction on a $2.5 billion plant in March.
- The second battery plant will have a capacity of up to 67 gigawatt hours and create 1,400 jobs, with production slated to begin in early 2027.
Dive Insight:
The second plant will be Samsung SDI’s largest production base in North America, Yoon-ho Choi, president and CEO of Samsung SDI, said in a statement.
Stellantis and Samsung SDI initially announced plans for the facility in July, the automaker’s sixth site to support its planned increase in EV manufacturing.
Last month, the South Korea-based battery maker disclosed plans to invest $1.98 billion toward the second facility, which will give Samsung SDI a 51% stake in StarPlus Energy.
The investment is part of Samsung SDI’s plan to expand its presence in the U.S. The company announced plans last month to invest $41 million to expand two of its facilities in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
And in June, Samsung SDI announced plans to build a $3 billion battery manufacturing plant with General Motors in New Carlisle, Indiana.
For Stellantis, investment in the second battery factory will help increase its plans for EV production globally. The automaker previously announced plans to spend $155 million in its three existing Kokomo plants to manufacture electric drive modules to power its EVs.
