Stitt says Oklahoma is finalist for EV battery plant

Oklahoma - and, more exactly, the Mid-America Industrial Park in Pryor - is once again in the running for a major electric vehicle battery plant.

State officials are not confirming the name of the company behind the plant just yet, but the rumor is that it could be Volkswagen.

Before it can happen though, state lawmakers will need to fine-tune the incentive program known as the “Lead Act,” which was created in the recent failed attempt to lure a Panasonic EV battery plant to Pryor.

Officials say part of the deal with the as-yet unnamed company, is to lower the job-creation requirement from 4,000 jobs to 3,500 jobs.

Governor Stitt says there’s been some debate about that, but he says lawmakers need to work fast, because the company intends to make their decision in just a few weeks, on either April 1st or April 2nd.

“If we win this, it’s going to be awesome for Oklahoma,” Stitt said during his Friday news conference. “And then we can argue later, but we need to get this across the finish line.”

Stitt says Canada is the only other competitor that Oklahoma faces in the effort to get the facility.

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