The Pima County Board of Supervisors last month approved American Battery Factory’s planned Tucson gigafactory, potentially adding a new asset to Arizona’s growing advanced manufacturing sector.

At 2 million square feet, the factory will be the largest lithium iron phosphate factory in the United States. The Utah-based company will also be relocating its headquarters to the new location.

The groundbreaking factory will be built on 267 acres of the Pima County Aerospace Research Campus and the first phase is expected to be completed in around two years.

“With this announcement, American Battery Factory has elevated Arizona’s reputation as a national epicenter for battery manufacturing,” Arizona Commerce Authority President and CEO Sandra Watson said. “American Battery Factory’s new facility and headquarters will advance Southern Arizona’s vibrant technology ecosystem while creating hundreds of skilled jobs and drive further economic growth to our state.”

According to the Board of Supervisors, the factory will have a $3.1 billion economic impact in Arizona over the next 10 years and will create an initial 300 jobs with another 700 jobs that will be added as phases of the project are completed.

The new factory represents a significant step towards American Battery Factory’s goal of becoming the first American company to create an all-in-one lithium iron phosphate battery network that includes research, manufacturing, and a supply chain for the batteries.

According to American Battery Factory President and CEO Paul Charles, the new facility is a win-win that will bring significant investment into the area and help move America towards sustainable energy solutions. 

Following the announcement of the factory, Charles said, “With this first factory, we will secure a strategically positioned company headquarters while taking the critical first steps in making it possible to one day move the country and the entire world to 100% renewable power.” 

Charles also mentioned how grateful the company was to be welcome to Arizona and the Tucson area, noting that they would “give back to the community through innovation, quality job creation, revenue generation and environmental protection.”

The batteries built in Tucson will be used to power electronics, electric vehicles, and other commercial and retail uses. Lithium ferro-phosphate batteries have been deemed “eco-friendly” by the company due to the batteries not needing nickel and cobalt. 

American Battery Factory is just one of many tech-focused companies that have migrated to Arizona in the last few years. “The state-of-the-art factory will produce battery cells critical to our energy future right here in Tucson,” former Governor Doug Ducey said in a statement, “My thanks to Paul Charles and the entire team at American Battery Factory for choosing our state for its innovative facility.”
You can learn more about American Battery Factory here.