John Deere Electric Powertrain LLC is investing $69.6 million to establish its North American headquarters and build a 115,000-square-foot battery and charger manufacturing facility in Kernersville, North Carolina. The facility will produce Kreisel battery packs for high-performance and large, off-highway equipment applications. John Deere will also use the facility to manufacture CHIMERO charger technology for e-mobility, stationary systems, and Level 3 charging solutions.
“As the demand for electric solutions continues to increase, this strategic investment in growing our production capacity will help strengthen our position as an international battery technology leader. Within the evolving off-highway equipment market, we are prioritizing the development of a robust charging ecosystem and battery portfolio that can support and sustain the long-term adoption of electrification across a wide variety of applications,” said Pierre Guyot, Senior Vice President of John Deere Power Systems and Chairman of Kreisel Electric.
John Deere will potentially receive a $100,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund to assist with its new facility. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to attract economic investments and create jobs. John Deere will qualify for grant payment if they meet job creation and capital investment targets.
Other key partners in developing this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Forsyth Tech Community College, Forsyth County, and the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Economic Development.
“This is outstanding news for our region,” said N.C. Representative Donny Lambeth. “We appreciate John Deere’s vote of confidence in our people for this new venture and the work of the economic developers and local and state officials that helped the company make their decision.”
