Marshall County, Mississippi, roughly 60 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, will be the home of an advanced battery cell manufacturing facility for a joint venture founded by Cummins' zero-emissions business segment Accelera, Daimler Trucks & Buses U.S. Holding and Paccar, the companies announced Thursday.
The 21-gigawatt hour (GWh) factory is expected to begin producing battery cells in 2027. The joint venture, announced in September 2023, localizes battery cell production for commercial electric vehicles and is expected to create more than 2,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs, with the option for further expansion as demand grows.
Accelera, Daimler Truck and Paccar will each own 30% of, and jointly control, the business, which will focus on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery technology for commercial battery-electric trucks. EVE Energy will serve as the technology partner in the joint venture with 10% ownership and will contribute its battery cell design and manufacturing expertise to the future cell manufacturing plant.
Daimler Truck North America President and CEO John O’Leary noted that localized battery cell production is expected to help drive down costs while the collaboration among truck manufactures biggest players should produce differentiated battery cell technology that supports the adoption of electric vehicles for medium- and heavy-duty commercial transportation.
“This site selection represents an exciting and tangible step toward advancing our Destination Zero strategy and our vision to lead the industry toward a decarbonized future,” said Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins Chair and Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to join the Marshall County community to drive economic growth and job creation in Mississippi, while continuing to expand our strong partnerships and serve the diverse needs of our customers.”
The Marshall County site solidifies Paccar's presence in The Magnolia State as its MX engine line is produced about 130 miles east in Columbus.
"The state, the communities and the people of Mississippi are wonderful business partners for Paccar. We look forward to expanding that partnership in northern Mississippi with this new battery cell factory that will provide industry-leading cost effective zero-emissions solutions for our customers,” said Paccar Chief Executive Officer Preston Feight.
