The South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council announced Friday that important milestones have been met in their ‘Charged and Ready’ initiative.
SWK EDC Executive Director Carter Hendricks said the first major milestone was that local utility providers and the Tennessee Valley Authority have created a strategic plan for the electric highway network by identifying several sites suitable for fast charge stations for Electric Vehicles. Additionally, the region will now pursue available grant dollars to assist in the implementation of the Electric Highway in the region.
Hendricks added the local EDC had launched a marketing web page dedicated to the region’s advantages as related to electric vehicles. Click here to visit the page.
Hendricks said discussions are also continuing with local education partners, with several institutions actively designing training and curriculum to launch in 2022 for the future EV workforce.
Additionally, the region has a variety of available industrial development and manufacturing sites including a 100,000 square foot spec building, Kentucky certified build ready sites, interstate sites, and a 1300+ acre mega rail site that is positioned in the South’s Auto Alley and the emerging EV cluster.
During a previous conversation with the News Edge, Hendricks said they want to make sure the area is not overlooked for possible industry related to Electric Vehicles.
This initiative was created following the major announcement from Ford/SK Innovation made about building Electric Vehicle plants in Elizabethtown, Kentucky and Stanton, Tennessee.
Hendricks added the focus is not just for new industry related to Electric Vehicles.
This will not be a short process for the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council.
Hendricks added they anticipate even more opportunities and look forward to helping electric vehicle related companies and auto parts suppliers take full advantage of the region’s geography, strong workforce, available sites, aggressive incentives, and the outstanding quality of life in a less taxing, more relaxing environment.
