MOUNT PLEASANT, WI—Foxconn Technology Group plans to produce batteries at its factories here and in Lordstown, OH. The contract manufacturer is currently making electric pickup trucks and tractors at the later facility, which was previously owned by General Motors.

“We will develop new energy industry in Wisconsin, including battery cells and battery packs,” says Young Liu, chairman of Foxconn. “Ohio will mainly be EV battery pack, while Wisconsin will mainly have new energy, energy storage systems and battery cells.”

Foxconn’s controversial factory in Wisconsin has a long history of broken promises and unfulfilled plans. In 2017, the company claimed that it would invest $10 billion in a massive complex of factories on farmland near Racine that would cover 20 million square feet and generate 13,000 jobs. The factory was supposed to mass-produce flat-panel display screens for computers, televisions and other electronic devices.

After the much-touted announcement, which was attended by local, state and federal government officials, millions of dollars were invested in local roads and infrastructure improvement projects, but only two buildings were ever built. Today, Foxconn uses the site to produce computer servers and motherboards, with fewer than 1,000 employees.