Illinois lands $2 billion car battery factory
Incentives in Stadelman legislation help pave the way

State Senator Steve Stadelman said Friday that legislation he passed to incentivize the electric vehicle industry to expand in Illinois played a role in a Chinese battery maker's decision to open a $2 billion factory south of Chicago.
 
The state-of-the-art lithium battery operation is expected to bring 2,600 jobs to Manteno near Kankakee. In chosing Illinois, Gotion High-tech is taking advantage of an incentive package valued at $536 million including $213 million in tax benefits made possible by the Stadelman-sponsored Reimaging Energy and Vehicles Act.

In return for the REV incentives, Gotion agreed to invest a mimium of $1.9 billion and create at least 2,600 full-time jobs that pay at least 120 percent of the average wage for similar work in Kankakee County. In an annoucement Friday, the gigafactory deal was hailed as the most significant new manufacturing investment in Illinois in decades.
 
When Stadelman introducted REV, his intent was for the law to encourage Stellantis or another automaker to retool the idled Belvidere Assembly Plant for the manufacture of EV products.
 
“Today's news is evidence the REV legislation and other smart incentives will succeed in making Illinois a magnet for EV manufacturing," Stadelman said. "There’s more to be done, of course, but we’ll keep moving Illinois forward, growing our economy and creating new job opportunities across our state.”
 

   

Next round of EV rebates starts Nov. 1

The next round for Electric Vehichle rebates in Illinois opens Nov. 1, 2023 and lasts through January 31, 2024. State Senator Steve Stadelman encourages purchasers of all-electric vehicles to apply for the $4,000 rebates as early in the cycle as possible.

Stadelman supported legislation to establish the EV rebate program in 2022, and the General Assembly this year appropriated $12 million more for the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund.

Applicants must apply during the rebate window and within 90 days of vehicle purchase. The application and instructions will be available October 18 before the round opens. Click on the IEPA logo below for more detailed information:

 

HoopStars slam-dunks for 9th year  

Scores of middle school-age boys and girls celebrated Labor Day 2023 by competing in Senator Stadelman's HoopStars, a free 3-on-3 basketball tournament at UW Health Sports Factory in downtown Rockford. Winning teams took home medals, and every player received a commemorative T-shirt.
 
The tournament has occurred annually since Steve Stadelman's first year in office in 2013, except for 2020 and 2021, when the global pandemic sidelined the games. Stadelman, a college basketball player and longtime youth coach, organizes HoopsStars to provide a positive, no-cost event for local youth as summer ends and the school year begins.

"I'm a strong believer in the many benefits of team sports in shaping the lives of girls and boys, so I'm glad to see HoopStars remains a popular way for families to spend Labor Day," Stadelman said. "I look forward to seeing everyone back on the courts for our 10th year in 2024."
 
 
 

 

In case you missed me on Facebook ...

Steve Stadelman
September 5 at 6:43 PM

Thanks to Carpenters Local 792 for letting me walk with them in the Labor Day parade!


Steve Stadelman
September 3 at 8:28 PM

 

Northwest Neighbors celebrates its new building at 3106 North Rockton Avenue! The group promotes Rockford's northwest neighborhoods offering services such as a place for discussion and training on computers and 3D printers.