Industry News: Premium Battery Maker AKASOL Chooses Detroit Michigan USA for new Production site.

[David]

Premium battery manufacture of Germany, AKASOL has announced that they will open a battery system production plant in Detroit Michigan USA. This dedicated operations in North America will ensure that AKASOL's customers comply with the Buy America Act Regulations and is in response to demand for their high energy battery modules from various OEM manufacturer of Trucks, Buses and auto's. This considerable investment will create over 200 jobs within the next 5 years.

State of Michigan awarded AKASOL a Michigan Business Development Program Grant for the construction of the production facility. Barry Matherly, President and CEO of Detroit Regional Partnership added: " The Detroit Region is thrilled to have been selected by AKASOL for its first battery production facility for the commercial vehicle market. The company is a global leader in the design and build of e-mobility solutions and our team is pleased we were able to demonstrate a highly compelling business case around the strengths of the region."

AKASOL's new Michigan production facility will have similar capacity to the company's current plant in Langen, Germany. Production is due to begin in 2020, with a focus on the 2nd generation AKASystem OEM PRC battery system. By early 2021, AKASOL expects production to increase to 400 MWh in a three-shift operation. These high performance lithium-ion battery systems will be developed, tested and produced locally here in Detroit Michigan.

AKASOL's commitment to quality, performance and flexibility is reflected in their European Top Tier customers. Daimler and French railway giant Alstom to name a few.

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[balthazar]

What was the dollar amount of the construction grant, and what will the licensing fee be for the implant plant?

[riviera74]

Fair questions, but Detroit really needs those jobs, especially with the 21st Century (not the 1950s) in mind.  I do hope that solid state batteries will be made here, if only to future-proof the plant and the jobs brought here.

[balthazar]

Sure that area needs the jobs (though I wonder if any of the meager 200 jobs are short-term/related to construction/set-up), but the company needs to ante up if they want to make money here. Free ride days need to come to an end and strict limitations on state-level ‘packages’ need to be implemented.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Sure that area needs the jobs (though I wonder if any of the meager 200 jobs are short-term/related to construction/set-up), but the company needs to ante up if they want to make money here. Free ride days need to come to an end and strict limitations on state-level ‘packages’ need to be implemented.

The grant was for $2.4 million which is chump change compared to companies like Amazon who had to be enticed with more than $2 Billion just to move to overpriced New York City. Some more details on this deal. 

 

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/manufacturing/battery-maker-akasol-plans-40-million-plant-hazel-park-raceway-site

[David]

10 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

The grant was for $2.4 million which is chump change compared to companies like Amazon who had to be enticed with more than $2 Billion just to move to overpriced New York City. Some more details on this deal. 

 

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/manufacturing/battery-maker-akasol-plans-40-million-plant-hazel-park-raceway-site

Exciting to see that they will have the German plant up to 800 MWh of battery packs by Q1 2020. Building their dense battery packs for on and off road auto's to commercial equipment is great news for moving to an exhaust free product that most of us use and sit in idle traffic at times.

I get the points balthazar is making, but I truly believe we will flip from an ICE to EV auto centric world much faster than many believe right now. Just at the start of squirting out auto options.

[daves87rs]

Get the Feeling this ends up in Auburn Hills, MI......