Grand Blanc Township, MI – In support of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to address the high price of gasoline and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, the Energy Department today announced the opening of an electric vehicle (EV) component manufacturing facility in Grand Blanc Township. The Magna E-Car Systems plant received $40 million in Recovery Act funding from the Energy Department, and will provide components for electric drive vehicle systems, including those in the 2012 Ford Focus electric vehicle. By advancing U.S. manufacturing of advanced vehicle technologies, this facility helps support the Department’s EV Everywhere Challenge, a broad initiative to make electric vehicles more affordable and convenient to own and drive than today’s gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 10 years.
“This critical investment in the electric vehicle supply chain will help bring the next generation of clean, efficient cars and trucks to the road, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and helping to address the high price of gasoline,” said Energy Department Vehicle Technologies Program Manager Patrick Davis. “Domestic manufacturing plants like this one in Grand Blanc Township are helping to create jobs in the U.S., enhance our energy security, and lay the foundation for an American economy that is built to last.”
The 50,000 square foot production facility will have the capacity to manufacture a variety of EV components in high-volume under one roof, and next year will be able to produce 500,000 electric drive vehicle components. Production has already started, and at full production, the plant will be capable of manufacturing electric motors, power electronics, battery chargers, and vehicle controllers, enabling it to assemble complete electric vehicle drivetrains and further strengthen the manufacturing supply chain.
The Magna E-Car Systems plant highlighted today is one of 30 advanced battery and electric drive manufacturing facilities supported by the Recovery Act. At full scale, these factories will have the annual capacity to supply batteries and components to more than 500,000 electric drive vehicles. The Obama Administration’s support for research, development, and manufacturing is helping to revitalize America’s auto industry and meet its goal to reduce oil imports by one-third by 2025. In addition to increasing the fuel-economy of traditional cars and trucks, the Administration’s support for advanced technology vehicles is offering consumers and businesses new, fuel-efficient options for the vehicles they drive.
The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. The Vehicle Technologies Program funds research and development for energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle technologies. To learn more about the program, please visit the Vehicle Technologies Program website.
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