Trump’s EV Policy Shift Threatens Jobs and Investments Across America’s Battery Belt

In Stanton, Tennessee, excitement once surrounded Ford’s new electric truck and battery plant. Construction brought workers and new life to the small farming town. Today, that buzz has quieted as the project faces repeated delays, with production now expected in 2027 instead of 2025.

Ford says it will adjust its timeline based on market demand, but the loss of the federal $7,500 EV tax credit has weakened sales. Ford’s CEO recently warned that electric vehicle demand could drop by half. Across the Battery Belt, which stretches from Georgia to Indiana, other manufacturers are also scaling back or slowing construction.

Analysts say that by 2030, U.S. factories could produce batteries for up to 15 million EVs each year, while demand might cover only a small share of that capacity. Trump’s new policies, which reduce subsidies and emphasize consumer choice, have further cooled investor confidence.

Some large projects, such as Hyundai’s $12.6 billion EV and battery site in Georgia, continue but face new challenges, including investigations and funding restrictions. Local leaders remain hopeful these factories can adapt to hybrid production if the EV market stalls.

For towns that built their futures around the EV boom, uncertainty is now the norm. Former Stanton mayor Allan Sterbinsky says residents still hope the project will succeed, but many fear the promise of a green manufacturing era may fade before it truly begins.