North Carolina is a growing engine of the domestic EV industry. From workforce training to consulting services, powerful resources exist to support continued growth of this important industry.
Our deep experience and trusted relationships can help you find the right community and site for your growth needs.
Every public power community in NC is unique, but they all share common traits: a track record of reliable energy and the flexibility to adapt to changing community and local business needs. In fact, NC's costs beat other major auto manufacturing centers like Detroit, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Did You Know?
N.C.'s Industrial Electric Rate is 10% BELOW the national average
North Carolina has the lowest corporate income tax in the United States
N.C. boasts an education network of universities and community colleges in N.C. supports customized training for your company
North Carolina has more than 460,000 total manufacturing workers, largest in the Southeastern U.S.
A system of Tier 1 research universities graduating thousands of tomorrow's industry leaders supports N.C. as a higher education leader
The largest supply of lithium, a critical EV battery component in North American is found in North Carolina
North Carolina is Fast Becoming an EV Hub
Headquartered in the public power city of High Point, North Carolina, Thomas Built Buses delivered its first electric bus, the Saf-T-Liner® C2 Jouley®, in April 2020. Since then, the company has delivered 400 Jouleys, with sales more than doubling from 2022 to 2023.
“We’re committed to furthering thistrend,” said Mark Childers, Powertrain and Technology Sales Manager of Thomas Built Buses.
Fueling the electrification efforts are carbon-reduction mandates in various states and funding opportunities created through the EPA Clean School Bus Program, Childers said. The program supports replacing diesel buses with cleaner, zero- and low-emission alternatives.
In North Carolina, part of the state’s share of the Volkswagen Settlement is funding electric school buses, transit buses, and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as zeroemission vehicle infrastructure.
Mandates and incentives are only part of the story. “Automotive electrification is being driven by climate change and environmental concerns, government policies and incentives, technological advancements, economic factors, consumer attitudes, and corporate commitments,” said Sean Gouda, Senior Manager of Transmission & Distribution Services with Burns & McDonnell. “These factors, combined with a wider shift toward renewable energy, are expected to continue driving the electrification of the automotive sector in the U.S.”
Whatever is driving the electric vehicle (EV) industry forward, North Carolina has the keys to support its growth. Along with consistently being ranked a top state for business, “North Carolina happens to sit on a pretty rich seam of the material that’s processed into lithium,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
That’s a good thing for North Carolina and a good thing for national security.”
Toyota chose North Carolina to locate its first-ever North American battery manufacturing plant. And Vietnamese auto manufacturer VinFast selected North Carolina for its first North
American automotive assembly and battery manufacturing plant. “We see continued opportunity to attract parts of the value chain that makes up vehicle electrification,” Chung said. “In the near term, we expect to continue seeing a lot of what we’ve seen in the past few years, which is companies that are involved in everything from processing the materials that go into the batteries and the battery components, to the battery production, to the vehicle assembly, to the charging infrastructure.”
North Carolina—public power communities in particular—also can deliver on another requirement many companies supporting the EV value chain have: large industrial sites that have requisite infrastructure, access to ready workforce, and highly competitive electric rates.
ElectriCities’ Smart Sites program provides shovel-ready property for economic development growth in North Carolina public power communities. The program includes valuable due diligence that shortens development time and minimizes risk.
“It’s a fascinating time to be in economic development, because we happen to be doing this work amidst probably one of the biggest economic transformations of a major industry sector,” Chung said.
And North Carolina is well positioned to be a driving force in the transformation.
Smart Sites® and Shell Buildings
Critical production demands can’t always wait on a lengthy construction project. We created the Smart Sites® program to offer more shovel-ready property for economic development growth in our member communities. The valuable due diligence included in our program assists site selectors in making informed, intelligent choices. In short, the Smart Sites® program simplifies the process for consultants and companies and minimizes risk to them.
Looking for a move-in ready manufacturing space? Many of our member communities have shell industrial buildings that may suit your needs. Below are just a few of our many available Smart Sites® and Shell Buildings.
Connect with us for additional information on these and other available properties.
Additional Key Industries within Public Power Communities
The plastics and composites industry remains one of the strongest components of North Carolina’s diverse manufacturing sector.
Food processing in North Carolina is strong and growing, thanks to a ready workforce and a healthy business development landscape.