Battery maker coming to Colorado

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — A lithium-ion battery maker has chosen Adams County to make high-performance silicon anode lithium-ion batteries.

Amprius Technologies said they chose the location in Brighton because there is a 1.3 million square foot facility already on the site. The facility is equipped “with electric power and has a structural layout ideal for a gigawatt-hour scale lithium-ion battery factory.”

“The selection of Colorado for our gigawatt-scale factory marks an important milestone for Amprius,” said Dr. Kang Sun, Chief Executive Officer of Amprius Technologies. “We worked closely with the state of Colorado, the Colorado Economic Development Commission, Adams County, and the City of Brighton to align on terms that are mutually beneficial and include a comprehensive incentive proposal. Increasing production to meet the substantial market demand for our breakthrough silicon anode lithium-ion technology remains a priority, and we are confident this factory will allow us to scale and effectively serve the electric mobility market.”

Amprius said they plan to invest $190 million, which includes a $50 million cost-sharing grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing and Supply Chains. The grant is part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that would expand manufacturing of electric vehicle and electrical grid batteries in the U.S.

The first part of the expansion is expected to create 332 new jobs, the governor’s office said in a release. The average salary for the new jobs would be more than $65,500. Positions include:

  • Management
  • Engineering
  • Business support personnel
  • Technicians
  • Operators
  • Maintenance positions

“We need more batteries to power the future, and now we will be manufacturing more of them right here in Colorado,” Gov. Jared Polis said. “We are excited to welcome Amprius to Colorado, bringing over 300 new good-paying jobs, and joining Colorado’s innovative and collaborative business community.”

Amprius said it hopes to have the Brighton facility open by 2025 at 500 MWh with the potential of ramping up to 5 GWh.

The company chose Colorado over locations in Georgia and Texas.