MANTENO – State Senator Patrick Joyce joined community stakeholders and fellow elected officials to announce a new $2 billion electric vehicle battery gigafactory coming to Kankakee County.

“Gotion could not have picked a better place for this new factory,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “This is a huge investment in Kankakee County, and will result in good-paying jobs for residents.  This is a huge win for our region.”

Gotion’s new state-of-the-art EV battery plant will help bolster the supply chain and meet growing demand for batteries across the EV sector, including Gotion’s partners, as well as additional EV manufacturers across North America. The facility will focus on lithium-ion battery cell, battery pack production and energy storage system integration, and is expected to begin production in 2024.

As part of Illinois’ commitment to build out comprehensive EV hubs and support Illinois’ workforce, the state will also fund a new manufacturing training academy nearby as well as award an additional grant to workforce providers to expand training and prepare regional employees for the new jobs. The historic company investment will create over 2,600 new good-paying jobs in Manteno.

"This announcement is a huge win for Manteno, Kankakee County, and the State of Illinois, and will only enhance and strengthen our robust manufacturing sector,” said Timothy O. Nugent, Mayor of Manteno.