WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) -- President Obama is to visit Michigan Thursday for the opening of a $303 million plant that will make battery cells for electric vehicles, the White House said.
On his fourth visit to Michigan since taking office, Obama will attend the groundbreaking for the Compact Power Inc. factory in Holland.
Obama has been a staunch supporter of electric, plug-in vehicles, calling for 1 million on U.S. roads within five years.
The plant will produce the battery cells for the Chevrolet Volt, which rolls out in November with batteries initially imported from Korea, The Detroit News reported.
LG Chem, a Korean company, and Compact, its Troy-based subsidiary, confirmed in March they planned to build the factory to make battery cells for electric vehicles including the Volt.
"Next week, (Obama) will be in Michigan for one of the final factories literally going up to produce alternative batteries," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told "PBS NewsHour."
Construction began early last month on the 650,000-square foot plant, expected to produce enough cells for as many as 200,000 electric vehicle batteries and create at least 300 jobs by 2013.
About half the funding for the $303 million plant came from a federal grant, part of an effort to increase battery and electric vehicle research and production.
"Michigan is becoming a world capital for advanced batteries," Gov. Jennifer Granholm said. "Investments in clean energy manufacturing such as advanced batteries are creating jobs in Michigan and moving our state and nation to a clean energy economy."
The plant's 120-acre site is in a Renaissance Zone, allowing it to operate free of virtually all state and local taxes, the News said.
