ABB to build new charging station factory in the USA

ABB E-Mobility is expanding its manufacturing capacity for charging stations in the U.S. The company has announced that it will invest several million dollars in a new site in Columbia, South Carolina.

+ + Kindly see our update below + +

The facility will produce up to 10,000 charging stations per year from 2023, with outputs ranging from 20 kW to 180 kW, according to ABB E-Mobility. At its existing sites in the US, ABB E-Mobility already manufactures charging stations for local buses with outputs ranging from 150 kW to 450 kW.

The new plant will allow the company to “respond more quickly to US market demand, make its supply chain more efficient and local, and shorten delivery times”, ABB writes. The plant is expected to create 100 new jobs.

However, that is only part of the motivation for the new plant: production in Columbia will also be compliant with the Buy America Act. Specifically, the chargers produced in South Carolina will meet the Buy America Act framework for charging stations proposed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as well as the requirements of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) programme – and thus be eligible for funding in the upcoming charging infrastructure offensive in the US.

Bob Stojanovic, vice president at ABB E-Mobility North America, sees the new site as another example of how the company is driving e-mobility in the US “with high-quality and reliable EV charging solutions”. “The need for investment in the US e-mobility sector has never been greater, as 18 million EVs are expected to be on US roads by 2030. Expanding our US manufacturing operations will allow us to better serve our customers and help advance the adoption of EVs from private vehicles to public transportation and fleets,” Stojanovic says.

ABB says it has invested $14 billion since 2010 in plant expansion, operational improvements, modern equipment, products and employees. The company employs more than 20,000 people in the US at more than 40 manufacturing and distribution sites.

Update 24 January 2023:

E-Mobility has started production of charging stations at its new US plant in Columbia, South Carolina, which ABB says will significantly reduce delivery and lead times for DC fast chargers in the US. According to the manufacturer, chargers being produced in Columbia include the Terra DC Wallbox with up to 24 kW and the all-in-one Terra 184 charging station with up to 180 kW.

abb.com, new.abb.com (update)