FORT WORTH, TX—LG Electronics has opened its first U.S. factory here to assemble charging stations for electric vehicles. 

The factory will have an annual capacity of more than 10,000 units. The EV charger operation currently occupies about 60 percent of the 100,000-square-foot building, leaving room for expansion as the business grows in the years ahead. The new plant, which uses 100 percent green power, will bring dozens of new tech jobs to North Texas.

The factory is not the first operation for LG in Fort Worth. The company has operated a 1-million-square-foot distribution center for consumer electronics and home appliances in the city for three decades.

“Today marks a major step in LG’s roadmap to support the electrification of America by making the EV charging infrastructure smarter, more accessible and more profitable for operators,” says Michael Kosla, senior vice president for LG Business Solutions USA. 

The chargers produced at the new factory “will open new opportunities for businesses, municipalities and other public places to support the electrification of America with independently owned and operated charging stations that create new revenue streams, additional marketing and income opportunities, and differentiation with competing businesses,” says Kosla.

Knowing that the U.S. needs hundreds of thousands of new level 2 and level 3 chargers to support the growing number of EVs on the road, LG has developed owner-operated EV charging stations so that hotels, restaurants, venues, transit hubs, municipal buildings and other locations are empowered to set their own rates, keep the profits that are generated, and ensure enough capacity to meet local demands, says Kosla.

The first products being assembled in Fort Worth are level 2 AC chargers with a load management system and variable current settings, providing 11 kilowatts (kW) of output power through a standard SAE J1772 connector. The charger will be designed for simple wall mounting with an optional stand that enables placement anywhere. 

Starting in the second quarter, the plant will assemble LG’s first level 3 DC charger, a stand-type model with a connected power bank that provides up to 175 kW of power through CCS1 and NACS connectors. The level 3 model will feature a large outdoor LCD touch-screen display that can serve multiple functions, including generating extra revenue through ad sales. In addition, 350 kW ultra-fast-chargers are on this year’s product roadmap.