A123 Systems, a developer and manufacturer of battery systems, is opening today in Livonia, Michigan a new plant that the company says is the largest lithium ion automotive battery production facility in North America. The plant is expected to expand A123’s manufacturing capabilities by up to 600 megawatt hours per year when fully operational (1 megawatt hour = 1 million watts used for one hour).
The opening of the 291,000-square-foot Livonia factory comes about one year after A123 was awarded a $249 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A123 says the new plant will focus on manufacturing prismatic cells and systems. The factory is expected to house production functions including research and development, manufacturing of high-value components, cell fabrication, module fabrication and the final assembly of complete battery packs.
A123 says it also plans to open a coating plant in Romulus, Michigan, expected to come on line during the first half of 2011. In addition to the DOE grant, the company received $125 million in state incentives from Michigan as part of its 21st Century Jobs Fund to help finance these manufacturing facilities.
Related: Granholm Offers Michigan as Template for Clean Energy Economy. 5 August 2010
Photo: Les Chatfield
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