LANSING – State Representative Deb Kennedy (D-Brownstown) praised the announcement today that General Motors Co. will invest $43 million to manufacture lithium-ion battery packs for its new Chevrolet Volt and other extended-range electric vehicles in Brownstown Township. The move, which will create more than 100 high-tech jobs, comes on the heels of last week's announcement that Michigan will receive $1.36 billion in federal stimulus funding for the development and production of advanced batteries, including $105.9 million to GM for its Brownstown Township facility.
"This is great news for our hard-working men and women right here in Brownstown and Wayne County," Kennedy said. "We have the best and brightest workforce in the country, and with our automotive and technological expertise, Michigan is already paving the way for emerging technologies that will power America's future. This investment will not only create jobs and give a much-needed boost to our economy – it ensures that the high-tech cars of tomorrow will be built in the state the put the world on wheels."
GM's investment includes renovation and lease costs for a 160,000-square-foot facility in Brownstown Township, as well as new machinery, equipment and special tooling. Production at the plant is expected to begin late next year to support the launch of the highly anticipated Chevrolet Volt, which the company estimates will get up to 230 miles per gallon in city driving.
The new facility was made possible by a plan co-sponsored by Kennedy that expanded state tax credits for companies involved in advanced battery manufacturing to $555 million. The plan builds on Michigan's first-in-the-nation tax credits that were signed into law in January, the first of which were awarded to GM for its Brownstown facility. The ground-breaking law has already resulted in more than $2 billion in investments by five world-class advanced battery companies that will create more than 6,600 jobs in Michigan.