The Hoosier State is the site of a new electric vehicle battery plant project that keeps getting delayed.
The General Motors-Samsung SDI factory, a $3.5 billion venture, is being built in New Carlisle, Indiana, the Detroit Free Press reported in August. It was first set to begin production in 2025, then 2026, and now 2027.
"The Samsung SDI joint venture is the latest example of GM's commitment to driving innovation in America," GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement, per the Free Press. "The EV market and GM sales will continue to grow as more customers experience our EVs, the charging infrastructure builds out and we expand into more segments."
The saga dates to March 2023, when the companies signed an agreement. GM has other partnerships and plants, including in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan, all per the newspaper. These batteries will be nickel-based.
The plant will create 1,600 jobs, another downgrade — of 100 — from an initial estimate. Construction was expected to employ another 1,000 people, the Free Press reported. Barra previously stated GM will be able to manufacture more than 1 million EVs thanks to its Samsung partnership. It's part of a plan to create a hub of EV technology and manufacturing.
"That's crucial in so many ways, including making EVs better and more affordable for our customers," Kurt Kelty, vice president of battery cell and pack, wrote on LinkedIn, per the Free Press.
The economic investment is important, as are the future benefits to the environment and planet.
The project has been delayed because adoption of the battery-powered machines has slowed despite rising EV sales, the Free Press noted.
🗣️ If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you?
🔘 Cost 💰
🔘 Battery range 🔋
🔘 Power and speed 💪
🔘 The way it looks 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Still, it's vital for our health and that of Earth that we make this switch because the continued consumption of dirty energy sources has led to a rapidly rising global temperature as well as increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events. EVs produce zero tailpipe pollution and can even save you wads of cash that you used to spend on gas and maintenance. Plus, there's that $7,500 tax credit.
The more heat-trapping pollution we keep from entering the atmosphere, the better.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
