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1,170 new jobs coming to this South Carolina county due to electric car batteries

The company will make what it's calling a battery cell gigafactory.

FLORENCE, S.C. — A Japanese electric vehicle battery company plans to build a new factory in Florence County, a move state leaders say will create over 1,100 new jobs. 

State leaders announced Tuesday morning that Envision AESC will create what it's calling a battery gigafactory in the Technology and Commerce Park in Florence County. The new plant will be roughly 1.5 million square feet.

It's an $810 million investment the state says will create 1,170 new jobs over the next several years. The plant will produce battery cells in a partnership with for BMW Spartanburg's group plant as the car manufacturer makes new electric vehicles

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, these advanced batteries will have 20% more energy density, reduce charging time, and increase the range of these vehicles by 30 percent. 

The company has another battery plant in Tennessee and another under construction in Kentucky. Envision did not give a target date for the completion of the plant. 

"South Carolina already has an outstanding automotive footprint, and we are delighted to offer new jobs in the high growth electrification segment, to attract and retain the state's highly skilled workforce,"  said AESC U.S. Managing Director Jeff Deaton said in a statement.

Individuals interested in joining the AESC team should visit readySC’s recruitment website to explore opportunities. Companies interested in becoming a supplier for the company should complete S.C. Commerce’s online interest form

“We have the workforce, business friendly environment, and the willingness to adapt to industry’s innovation necessary to ensure that companies that choose to do business here will find the success they’re looking for," South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said in a news release.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development gave Florence County $135 million to assist with costs related to the project. 

The news is the latest increase of electric vehicle technology in South Carolina. In October, BMW announced a plan to expand their operations in the Upstate with a $1.7 billion investment that created 300 new jobs. BMW's plan is for Plant Spartanburg to produce at least six fully electric BMW X models by 2030. 

And South Carolina has come up with a plan for an electric charging infrastructure along the state's interstates. This comes after the Biden Administration approved the state's EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan

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