Electric Car Maker To Open Battery Facility In Ohio

California-based Coda Automotive announced this week it plans build an automotive-grade lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Ohio.

            Coda, based in Santa Monica, plans to sell 14,000 electric sedans by the end of 2011. Initially, the start-up automaker said it will import batteries from China, where it recently opened a battery manufacturing facility with Tianjin Lishen Battery Joint-Stock Co., according to The Wall Street Journal.

            A press release on Coda’s website says will operate the Ohio facility as part of a joint venture with Lishen. The joint venture will be known as Lio Energy Systems.

            Coda’s website also says the Ohio-based joint venture “could employ more than 1,000 skilled manufacturing workers initially.”