Michigan Is the Home of EV’s Future

Building on 18 months of major announcements and wins, Michigan’s leadership in mobility and electrification was recognized in Area Development’s Annual Shovel Awards, with the state winning a Silver Shovel for its transformational electric vehicle (EV) battery project with Our Next Energy (ONE).

In a move set to bolster both Michigan's automotive and EV ecosystem and the U.S. supply chain, ONE and the state announced the ONE Circle in October 2022, its first wholly U.S.-owned manufacturing campus for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and anode-free cells located in Van Buren Township.

This gigafactory is projected to generate 2,112 jobs, inject $1.6 billion in capital investment and significantly contribute to workforce development, economic impact and reshoring efforts. Harnessing a novel cell factory model, ONE will cultivate a North American raw material supply chain and a co-located material refinement strategy. Within five years, the campus aims to achieve a 20-GWh capacity, covering raw material refinement, cathode materials production and battery manufacturing.

The ONE Circle is not the only EV, automotive and mobility project choosing Michigan. Beginning 2022 on a high note, General Motors (GM) announced a momentous $7 billion investment in Michigan, which was later acknowledged in the EV category of Business Facilities’ 2022 Impact Awards, part of the publication’s esteemed Deal of the Year awards.

Projects following GM’s historic announcement included LG Energy Solution’s $1.7 billion expansion in Holland, Ford's $2 billion investment in its plants across the state, FLO's $3 million for its first-ever U.S. facility in Auburn Hills, Gotion's $2.36 billion commitment in Big Rapids and another $3.5 billion investment from Ford for a new battery manufacturing site in Marshall. These initiatives collectively will create thousands of jobs and reshore operations, reinforcing Michigan as the home of mobility’s past and future.

A major component of Michigan’s plan to be a leader in the EV industry is its strategic focus on talent acquisition – a major incentive for ONE and other high-tech projects. A key highlight includes the groundbreaking Michigander EV Scholars Program, an initiative offering up to $10,000 in scholarships to top tech students committed to working in Michigan's burgeoning EV industry.

“Michigan offers an exceptional talent pool and ideal location to collaborate with customers and suppliers as we advance towards U.S.-based cell manufacturing,” said Deeana Ahmed, vice president of Strategy, Policy and Sustainability at ONE.

This Silver Shovel Award announcement coincides with a flurry of accolades that underscore Michigan's prominence in the electric mobility domain. A Climate Power report positions Michigan as a national leader, securing second place for clean energy investments, while CNBC declares that the state is positioned to “dominate” U.S. battery manufacturing by 2030. This recognition combined with project wins across the state engrain Michigan as a leader in the EV, automotive and mobility industry as it once again boldly drives the world forward.

For more information about Michigan's leadership in electric mobility and the EV revolution, visit https://www.michiganbusiness.org/mobility/.