MANTENO, IL—Gotion Inc. plans to build a $2 billion factory here that will mass-produce lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. The state-of-the-art facility located just north of Kankakee will ramp up production in 2024.

"Energy and environmental protection are our common challenges,” says Li Zhen, chairman of Gotion High-tech. “To address them, solar power, wind and energy storage systems are becoming the backbone of a new energy system and accelerate the revolution in the global energy landscape.

“When we come to Illinois, we are not building a new factory, but are planning to reuse an existing one and bring it back to life again as our way of cherishing and conserving resources,” explains Zhen. “We believe that [our] battery technology will help boost e-mobility in North America and the economic and trade exchanges between China and the U.S."

The facility will focus on producing battery cells and battery packs, in addition to energy storage system integration. Once completed, the facility will produce produce 10 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of lithium-ion battery packs and 40 GWh of lithium-ion battery cells. The site, located at a former Kmart distribution center just off I-57, will cover approximately 150 acres.

As part of the State of Illinois' commitment to attract EV manufacturers, it will fund a new training academy nearby, as well as award an additional grant to workforce providers to expand training and prepare local employees for new jobs.