Kempower Corporation, a provider of DC charging technology based in Finland, has announced its plans to set up an electric vehicle (EV) charging station production facility in North Carolina, United States. This new facility is expected to create approximately 300 new jobs in the state and will have a planned investment of approximately $40 million over the next five years. The success of Kempower’s entry into the US market will determine the final size of the investment.
The facility in North Carolina will be partially facilitated by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. This grant is expected to reimburse Kempower up to $3 million over 12 years, taking into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs. The facility will produce user-friendly and reliable DC fast chargers for electric cars, trucks, buses, and machines, which will significantly expand Kempower’s global production, laboratory, and office space.
Kempower aims to start the production of NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) compatible DC chargers by the end of 2023. In the first phase, Kempower will scale up its local assembly to produce NEVI-compliant Kempower Power Units and Satellites. Staff recruitment has already begun for this project.
Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina praised the decision of Kempower to set up its facility in the state and said, “North Carolina’s global reputation as a clean energy manufacturing center continues to grow. Electric vehicle charging stations are a key component of tomorrow’s transportation infrastructure and we welcome these new clean energy jobs that Kempower brings to our state.”
Kempower CEO Tomi Ristimäki also expressed his gratitude to the state of North Carolina for its support during the evaluation process and said, “We think North Carolina is a perfect location for us and fulfills Kempower’s high ESG requirements. Kempower is committed to making EV charging reliability a top priority. By having a tried and tested system in place to ensure the reliability of Kempower chargers, we have the confidence that our chargers are fit to serve the continent’s EV drivers.”
