Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Could Come To The Upper Cumberland

Tennessee has seen an influx in Electric Vehicle manufacturing.

New Plants in the industry have been announced for Clarksville and Jackson.

Cookeville Chamber of Commerce CEO Amy New said the Upper Cumberland would like to get involved, but only in the areas that will provide higher wages.

“We are working on getting into this industry to the point that is providing high quality, high wage jobs to this area,” New said. “So there are a few suppliers we are definitely interested in, especially some of those in the R&D and research area. We are definitely interested in those types of positions because they pay high wages.”

New said there are not currently any companies on the chamber’s radar to bring in, but they are open to hearing from companies interested in coming to the area.

“The high paying large capital investments, they will come typically from the State of Tennessee to the highlands or to our chambers in the Upper Cumberland region,” New said. “And then we will then submit land or any types of specs that would be suitable for those types of industries.”

New said the number of jobs that electric vehicle manufacturing could range from around 30 to around 300 depending on the type of manufacturing being done. She said the electric vehicle industry coming to the Upper Cumberland would be great for the economy and help with the Chamber of commerces goal to bring jobs to the area that would raise the median income.

“An industry that has advanced manufacturing, robotics, any of those high tech or highly skilled positions, those bring higher wages,” New said.

New said the median income in the area is just over $42,000 and the goal is to get closer to the state average of just under $60,000.