Proterra to Build New Battery Factory in South Carolina to Support Commercial EV Push

Proterra, which builds electric transit vehicles and tech for commercial EVs, is set to build a new EV battery factory in South Carolina.

The new factory will be located in Greer, some 195 miles northwest of state capital Charleston, and will create more than 200 new jobs over the next several years.

With an initial investment of “at least $76 million,” Proterra is expecting the site to be up-and-running by the second half of next year before reaching full production in 2025. 

However, while the 327,000 square-foot site is certainly large, Proterra is remaining slightly coy on overall production numbers, simply saying that “multiple gigawatt-hours” of battery capacity will be produced.

Through opening our new battery system production plant, Proterra is proud to help realize these important goals while driving the transition to clean, quiet transportation with our EV technology,” says Gareth Joyce, President of Proterra.

“With our company’s history in South Carolina and the Upstate region, we are excited to build on our strong partnership with the state of South Carolina, Spartanburg County, and the City of Greer and bring EV battery system manufacturing to the region.”

Proterra’s plant is close to its existing sites in Greer where the company manufactures its electric buses. As well as batteries, the new facility will be able to produce ancillary systems incorporated into electric medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles and equipment.

“Today’s announcement by Proterra is further proof that South Carolina is leading the charge in the electric vehicle revolution. We applaud Proterra for the work they’re doing to create a more sustainable future for the transportation industry and look forward to their continued success in the Upstate,” says South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.

However, this isn’t the company’s first battery site. In December last year Proterra opened its second battery production site co-located in its EV bus manufacturing facility in Los Angeles County.