New $4M EV charger production facility coming to West Columbia

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ABB Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicle chargers, is opening a new facility in West Columbia.

The company's $4 million investment will increase production of EV chargers, including ones compliant with the Buy America Act, and create more than 100 jobs, according to Bob Stojanovic, ABB's vice president for North America.

“We chose West Columbia after an extensive search around the country for a place where we could quickly ramp up production to satisfy our ever-expanding demand,” Stojanovic told SC Biz News. “We figured out this location would be the most beneficial for our customers and partnerships.”

Headquartered in Zurich, ABB is a multinational global technology company focused on transforming society and industry for a more sustainable future, according to its website. ABB’s U.S. headquarters is in Cary, N.C., and the company employs about 20,000 people in 25 states.

The new South Carolina facility will be capable of producing up to 10,000 chargers per year, ranging form 20kW to 180kW in power, which are ideally suited for public charging, school buses and fleets.

The new facility will be located inside an existing structure at 1000 Technology Drive in West Columbia, inside the CAE Industrial Park one mile from the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

The new operation builds on ABB e-mobility’s existing U.S. manufacturing operations which produce transit bus chargers ranging from 150kW to 450kW, according to the release. The new plant is designed to increase responsiveness to U.S. market demand, create a more efficient localized supply chain and reduce delivery lead times.

“The need for investment in the U.S. e-mobility sector has never been greater, as 18 million EVs are expected to be on U.S. roads by 2030,”  Stojanovic said. “Expanding our U.S. 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.”

Chargers manufactured in West Columbia could be available as early as 2023, according to the release.