Motor City Stalls, Peach State Accelerates

Have you been sleeping on Georgia’s meteoric rise to the top? Here are the details.

The New Motor City?

Move over, Detroit, Georgia, is stealing your spotlight as the new leader in electric vehicle (EV) production.

Georgia’s EV Victory Lap

Detroit has been the heart of the American car industry since the first Ford Model T, but recently Georgia has upped its statewide efforts to become the new home of EV manufacturing. Now, Georgia is outperforming Michigan when it comes to car production and has begun preparations to shake up the entire automobile industry.

Shocking Statistics

It might sound surprising, considering Detroit’s over 100-year dominance of the car industry, but the data is crystal clear – Georgia is blazing ahead of all other states.

Billion-Dollar Boom

According to data from the Clean Economy Tracker, Atlas Public Policy, and the CHARGE coalition, since November 2021, Georgia has seen a massive $22 billion in investments, which has created almost 24,000 new jobs in EV and battery manufacturing. Great news for Georgians.

Infrastructure Ignition

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been a huge help, attracting massive investments and putting Georgia on the map as the go-to state for clean energy and EV production.

Electric School Bus Revolution

Take a look at Blue Bird’s factory in Peach County. Thanks to the Clean School Bus program, Blue Bird is helping schools across the nation ditch diesel for electric buses. This isn’t just good for the environment – it’s creating jobs too.

Small Town, Big Impact

Their factory, located in Fort Valley, now employs 2,000 people in a town of only 9,000 – that’s 22% of the town working for a local business. And Blue Bird isn’t stopping there – they’re planning to ramp up production from two EV buses per day to 20. No doubt that will require more manpower, which means more people in work.

Investing in the Future

Blue Bird is also planning to train up the next generation of workers with an apprenticeship program in partnership with local schools.

Hyundai Hops on Board

Hyundai is another big-name company that has begun working out of Georgia. They’ve teamed up with Savannah Technical College to train future EV workers for their $7.6 billion assembly plant in Ellabell.

Job Bonanza

This massive production plant is set to create 2,000 construction jobs and 8,500 permanent positions. When it’s fully up and running, they’ll be making upwards of 300,000 EVs a year.

Rivian’s Big Bet

Rivian, the American electric SUV and pickup truck maker is also betting big on Georgia. The Tesla rivals are building their second production facility in the state, which is expected to employ 7,500 workers by 2030. It’s clear that Georgia is where the EV action is going to be for the foreseeable future.

The Secret Sauce

What’s driving all this growth?  Federal incentives from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are a big part of it. 

Attracting Foreign Investment

Norwegian battery maker FREYR chose Georgia over Norway for a $2.6 billion facility because of these incentives. Georgia’s strong transportation links and skilled workforce made it their top pick out of 130 options in 25 states.

Unexpected Allies

While it might come as a surprise nowadays, Georgia’s EV success story has bipartisan backing. Republican Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp is all in and has celebrated the state’s achievements.

Kia’s EV Celebration

He recently visited the Kia plant in West Point to mark the launch of their EV9 model and the creation of hundreds of new jobs.

Red Districts, Green Jobs

97% of Georgia’s new EV and battery jobs are in Republican-held districts, showing the industry has broad support.

Powering the Future

These new EV facilities are turning Georgia into a major hub for clean energy technology. Governor Kemp, during his visit to the Kia factory, drove the first Georgia-built EV off the line and declared, “We are working to become the e-mobility capital of the nation.”

Sustainable Success

With billions in investments, thousands of new jobs, and strong political support, Georgia is becoming the top player in clean, sustainable transportation. 

Georgia’s Electric Dreams

While Detroit watches on, Georgia is racing ahead.

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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / f11photo.

For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.