Japanese battery technology company AESC announced it held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 7 for its new battery plant in Florence County, South Carolina. AESC U.S. Managing Director Jeff Deaton, along with local leaders including Governor Henry McMaster and Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey, attended the groundbreaking event on-site in Florence.
With construction of the 1.5 million sq.-ft. plant underway, commercial operations are expected to commence in 2026, creating 1,170 new jobs for the local community, according to AESC.
The new 30 GWh battery plant builds on AESC’s existing battery manufacturing network that includes a plant in operation in Tennessee and another plant under construction in Kentucky, the company says. Collectively, AESC’s U.S. plants upon completion will provide up to 70 GWh capacity annually, powering the shift to electric vehicles with U.S.-made batteries and components.
“This groundbreaking marks another major milestone in AESC’s commitment to investing in South Carolina and manufacturing electric vehicle batteries,” said Deaton. “AESC continues to be a global leader in developing next generation EV battery technology, and we’re proud to be further growing our capacity to build those products in U.S. facilities, accelerating the transition to clean energy transportation.”
The AESC Florence site supports the Company’s multi-year partnership with BMW Group, announced in October 2022. Under the agreement, AESC will supply technology-leading battery cells for next generation electric vehicle models produced at BMW’s Spartanburg plant. The advanced battery format will result in 20% higher energy density than the current generation, with reduced charging time and increased range and efficiency of 30%, AESC says.
