Michigan being considered for major EV auto supply plant


Vitesco Technologies is considering Michigan for an electric vehicle parts factory that would bring thousands of new jobs to the state, according to company executives.


The automotive supplier, which is making a strong electrification push after being spun off from Continental AG, is evaluating greenfield and brownfield sites across the U.S. for the new plant, said Sandy Stojkovski, the supplier's North American CEO.


The German supplier, whose base is in Auburn Hills, produces inverters, e-axles, high voltage boxes and battery management systems for Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Stellantis NV and other OEMs. A decision on the plant's location is expected in the coming months, with a production launch goal of 2026.


Stojkovski declined to say what exactly will be made at the new plant, how much will be invested in it or what new business wins prompted the expansion. She said the factory would employ "thousands of people over time."


"Because of all the new business we've been awarded, as we look at the outlook for the North American region, it implies that we would be doubling our sales in the region," Stojkovski said at a media roundtable Thursday at the Detroit auto show. "That creates a bit of a problem for us, which is that we don't have enough production capacity in the region to handle this new business."


Stojkovski said Vitesco aims to open a plant similar in size to its factory in Seguin, Texas, which has about 1,700 employees and is responsible for about $1 billion in annual sales. The plant would help Vitesco to keep up with surging demand in the region for electrification-related products, she said. In 2022, the company generated $1.17 billion from global electrification sales, and expects that figure to reach $5.3 billion by 2026.
https://www.crainsdetroit.com/manufa...gan-ev-factory