By Josh Weinhold, Truth Staff
jweinhold@etruth.com
WAKARUSA - One local company will get a big boost from federal stimulus funding for the manufacturing of energy-efficient vehicles.
Navistar Inc. will receive a $39.2 million grant to develop and deploy 400 advanced battery electric delivery trucks. The vehicles will weigh about six tons and have a 100-mile range.
The money comes as part of $2.4 billion in funding announced by Obama and other members of his Cabinet today. The president said the money is essential to communities like Elkhart County, to put people back to work and for the country to become prosperous.
"I'm here because our ability to recover and prosper as a nation depends on communities just like this one," Obama said, standing at a podium in front of a large RV and Navistar's hybrid truck.
It's one of seven grants handed out to Indiana companies for advanced battery or electric vehicle manufacturing. The Navistar grant is the only one, though, awarded to a company based in Elkhart County.
The grant will hire new workers at the former Monaco Coach Corp. facility, a company that laid off about 1,400 local workers last year.
"A few months ago, people thought these factories might be closed for good," Obama said. "Now they're coming back to life.
Obama said the grants are part of the final third of the economic stimulus plan, which will spend money to put people to work and lay a foundation for economic growth.
With these investments, we're planting the seeds of progress for our country," Obama said, "and for good, high-paying jobs for the American people."
While foreign countries have invested in this type of technology for years, Obama said the grants will help America get ahead in the clean energy race.
Indiana is the second largest recipient of grant funding, behind Michigan. Other Hoosier operations receiving money:
• EnerDel Inc., Indianapolis, $118.5 million for lithium-ion cell and pack production for electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Delphi Automotive Systems, Kokomo, $89.3 million, construction of manufacturing capabilities to produce second-generation GM electric drive systems.
• Allison Transmission, Indianapolis, $62.8 million, increasing U.S. capacity to manufacture hybrid systems for commercial truck market.
• Remy International, several Indiana locations, $60.2 million, establishing standardized platform of hybrid electric motors and controls.
• Magna E-Car Systems of America, Muncie, $40 million, increasing production capacity of advanced automotive electric drive system component manufacturing plants
• Purdue University, West Lafayette, $6.1 million educational programs, partnering with Notre Dame and other Indiana schools.