SK Innovation Unit Cuts 37% of Workforce at Georgia Battery Plant

SK Battery America, the U.S. battery manufacturing unit of South Korea–based SK Innovation, has laid off 958 employees at its plant in Commerce, Georgia, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filing with the state.

The cuts represent about 37% of the facility’s workforce of 2,566 employees.

The factory previously supplied battery cells for the now-canceled fully electric F-150 Lightning pickup produced by Ford Motor Company. The plant also provides batteries to Volkswagen AG and Hyundai Motor Company.

“To align operations to market conditions, SK Battery America has made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce,” the company said in an emailed statement Friday. It “remains committed to Georgia and to building a robust US supply chain for advanced battery manufacturing.”

A Ford spokesperson said the automaker could not comment on supplier personnel actions.

The layoffs come as automakers adjust electric-vehicle strategies. In December, Ford said it would cancel the fully electric version of its flagship pickup and instead pursue an extended-range version.

SK Innovation and Ford had previously announced a combined US$11.4 billion investment in joint battery plants in the United States, though the battery maker ended that joint venture in December.

SK has expanded its presence in Georgia in recent years as automakers and suppliers invested heavily in EV manufacturing and the federal government under former President Joe Biden supported development of a domestic EV supply chain. In June 2020, the company announced plans to invest US$940 million to expand battery manufacturing near Atlanta, a project expected to create about 600 jobs, according to the office of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

SK and Hyundai are also jointly building a US$5 billion battery plant near Cartersville, northwest of Atlanta.

Georgia has attracted several major EV manufacturing projects, including a US$5 billion factory by Rivian and a US$7.6 billion vehicle manufacturing complex by Hyundai.

Georgia’s EV footprint

SK’s investments are part of a broader effort to build electric-vehicle manufacturing capacity in Georgia. Automakers and suppliers committed billions of dollars to EV production in the state as companies expanded battery and vehicle manufacturing in the U.S.

Shifting EV dynamics

Electric-vehicle sales growth in the United States has slowed relative to earlier projections. EVs accounted for about 8% of new vehicle sales in 2025, roughly unchanged from the previous year.

Automakers including Ford, General Motors and Stellantis have reassessed electrification strategies as costs rise and consumer demand evolves. Some companies have delayed factory projects, scaled back product plans or shifted investment toward hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Hybrids and more efficient gasoline-powered vehicles have remained attractive to many buyers concerned about driving range and charging infrastructure.

Federal policy changes have also affected the EV market. Under President Donald Trump, Congress eliminated tax credits of up to US$7,500 for purchases of new or used electric vehicles. The administration has also moved to weaken fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for automakers.