Powering the future: Alabama charges ahead in the South’s growing ‘Battery Belt’

The Alabama Department of Commerce is joining forces with Alabama-based partners this week at The Battery Show South to highlight the state’s growing presence in the advanced battery and electrification sectors — a strategic move to attract future investment as the Southeast continues to solidify its reputation as the nation’s “Battery Belt.”

Held in Atlanta, The Battery Show South brings together key players from across the evolving regional value chain in the battery industry.

The event explores innovations and technologies across a wide range of applications, including commercial and industrial transportation, advanced battery and H/EV systems, stationary energy storage, recycling, components, mining, aerospace and more.

Alabama’s delegation will use the event to showcase the state’s strengths in automotive manufacturing, workforce training, logistics and industrial development, all of which make it an ideal destination for companies operating in the battery and electrification space.

“Alabama is strategically positioned to play a central role in the Battery Belt’s expansion,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“With our skilled workforce, robust manufacturing base and growing infrastructure to support electrification, Alabama is ready to compete for the next generation of battery and EV investments,” she added.

The industry is projected to continue to make major investments in the space. A Reuters analysis of 37 global automakers, for example, indicates plans to invest nearly $1.2 trillion in EVs, batteries and related materials through 2030.

Alabama auto industry — An Alabama team is attending this week’s Battery Show South to highlight the state’s growing presence in the advanced battery and electrification sectors. The team is seeking to attract future investment as the Southeast continues to solidify its reputation as the nation’s “Battery Belt.”

Growth potential

Alabama is already home to major EV and battery-related projects, including Mercedes-Benz’s battery plant in Bibb County, Hyundai’s EV production activities in Montgomery, and a network of suppliers that support the evolving EV ecosystem.

The state continues to pursue targeted strategies to enhance its competitiveness in this sector, including focused workforce initiatives and site development efforts.

“The Battery Show South provides a unique platform for Alabama’s team to connect with innovators, decision-makers and investors, reinforcing the state’s commitment to becoming a key hub in the Southeastern ‘Battery Belt,’ said Veronica Crock, a Senior Project Manager at Commerce who’s attending the event.

Other members of Alabama’s “Battery Team” attending the Atlanta event are:

Melody Whitten (Alabama Community College System)
Kevin Taylor (AIDT)
Mike Oatridge and Brad Whisenant (AMP Center)
Amendi Stephens (Alabama Power)
Bakari Miller (EDPA)
Jonathan Schniper (Spire)
Thomas Tyson (PowerSouth)
Penny Townsend (TVA)
Vince Perez (Southeast Gas)

Strategic teamwork

The teamwork approach reflects Alabama’s commitment to capitalizing on industry investment in the EV/battery space, a goal outlined in the state’s new “Catalyst” economic development strategic plan.

At the NATTBattery Conference in Orlando, Florida, in February, members of the Alabama team engaged in over a dozen appointments and established numerous industry contacts.

During the event, Commerce’s Crock participated in a panel discussion titled “Government Programs Supporting the Battery Industry in North America” and gave a presentation on the department and available incentive programs.

At the Atlanta event, she will speak on a panel titled “Investments in the Battery and EV Industry” and lead a roundtable discussion on “The EV Charging Ecosystem: Challenges and Solutions.”

The Alabama Battery Team is also scheduled to attend Battery Show Europe, being held in Stuttgart, Germany, in early June.

Support system

The team can highlight that the auto industry has a strong support system in Alabama as it moves toward an EV future.

AIDT, a Commerce division that serves as Alabama’s primary workforce development agency, is constructing the EV Technology Center, a $30 million workforce training facility near Decatur that’s dedicated to electric vehicles and emerging technologies.

The center, located on the campus of the Alabama Robotics Technology Park, is expected to open in early 2026.

Meanwhile, the Alabama Mobility and Power (AMP) Center in Tuscaloosa is a world-class research and development hub for creating and sustaining modern mobility and power technologies, developing charging infrastructure, and managing power delivery to support large-scale growth of EVs.

The center was founded through a partnership between The University of Alabama, Alabama Power and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International to create a premier research and development hub for EV and mobility innovation.