Japan-based battery AESC recently broke ground for a clean-energy-powered battery plant in Florence County, South Carolina.

Construction has commenced on the 1.5-million-square-foot 30 GWh facility, and operations are slated to start in 2026. With its currently operating plant in Tennessee and another under construction in Kentucky, AESC projects a collective US production capacity of up to 70 GWh annually. The company says it aims to rely on responsible sources for critical battery materials and to increase its use of recycled materials.

Under a 2022 agreement with BMW Group, AESC will supply battery cells for EVs produced at BMW’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. The company says its batteries will have 20% higher energy density than those of the current generation, along with reduced charging time.

“South Carolina is proud to celebrate AESC as the company embarks on a historic chapter in our state,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “The groundbreaking for AESC’s battery cell gigafactory is a landmark moment in the evolution of South Carolina’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle industry.”

Source: AESC