Larisa Manescu, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
NASHVILLE, TN - This week, the Tennessee General Assembly is convening for a three-day special legislative session to discuss a $884 million economic package to support a $5.6 billion investment at Ford’s new Memphis Regional Megasite.
The auto manufacturer has announced it will open four new factories in Kentucky and Tennessee. Three of the plants, to be built with SK Innovation, would produce batteries for electric vehicles. The fourth plant would make the Ford F-150 Lightning, an all-electric pickup truck.
In total, Ford will be creating around 11,000 jobs with 6,000 in Tennessee and 5,000 in Kentucky. Tennessee has already committed to a workforce development facility to help educate and train more local workers.
This follows recent announcements from General Motors and Volkswagen about adding electric vehicle production to their plants in Tennessee and supports state and utility-led Drive Electric Tennessee’s goal of 200,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2028.
Kent Minault, Chair of the Transportation Committee of Sierra Club’s Tennessee Chapter, released the following statement:
“The Sierra Club urges the General Assembly to ensure these are good, family-sustaining careers that uplift local workers. We need strong labor standards to ensure that workers in Tennessee benefit from the shift to electric vehicles. Tennessee has the opportunity to ensure these taxpayer dollars also include an electric vehicle rebate program for Tennesseans, as other states do, to make clean transportation more affordable and accessible to everyone.
“The country will be looking to Tennessee for producing electric trucks and batteries, which are essential for reducing pollution and improving public health. This economic package should push for clean energy to power the manufacturing plants and charge the electric vehicles that will be sold here in the state.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.