IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 16, 2024
Georgia benefits from EV manufacturing boom due to federal investment
The state already leads the nation in private investment and permanent jobs in the industry; federal EV investments will accelerate economic and job benefits
ATLANTA — Today, the CHARGE Coalition and Atlas Public Policy released an issue brief highlighting Georgia’s opportunity to continue to lead in jobs and investment in electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing. The increasing demand for skilled EV industry workers allows local economies to grow as Georgia looks to spur its burgeoning EV manufacturing hub.
“It’s no secret that Georgia is one of the states at the forefront of the boom in EV and battery manufacturing,” said Bridget Sanderson, lead coordinator for the CHARGE coalition. “The sheer scale of the job creation that’s taking place right now exemplifies how federal investment is charging local communities forward.”
Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, over $22 billion and nearly 24,000 new jobs in EV and battery manufacturing have been announced in Georgia, including $16 billion and nearly 11,000 jobs announced after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. Of the jobs announced to date, nearly 97% will go to Republican-represented Congressional districts, according to the report.
“The next generation of American EVs will be delivered by Southern workers and Southern innovation,” said Stan Cross, Electric Transportation Director at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “As investment and job creation ramps up even farther, we need continued engagement between state and local government, companies, and workers in order to ensure an efficient and equitable transition.”
The report outlines the federal investments in zero-emission vehicle technologies in Georgia, including:
Over $22 billion in invested capital, including:
A $7.6 billion EV assembly and battery manufacturing plant near Savannah
A $2.6 billion battery plant near Atlanta
An electric school bus assembly plant near Fort Valley, receiving $170 million from the Clean School Bus Program
“Historically, hostile labor law has made it hard for labor unions to make inroads in Georgia and other Southern states,” said Reem Rayef, Senior Policy Advisor for Clean Transportation at BlueGreen Alliance. “The huge infusion of federal investment in EV assembly and battery manufacturing represents a generational opportunity to ensure that every clean economy job is a good job.”
Georgia-based job benefits and growth coinciding with federal investments include:
Over 24,000 new jobs created in EV and battery manufacturing, supported by:
Wide-ranging workforce development and training programs for EV and battery workers in high schools, colleges, and universities across the state
A $40 million nationwide UAW organizing campaign over two years, with a focus on securing representation and good, family-sustaining jobs for battery workers