US forges new 'battery belt' in hopes of electric future

Growing up, Devante Cuthbertson assumed he might have to leave his North Carolina hometown to pursue a career, but a new multi-billion-dollar Toyota battery plant is offering him a reason to stay put. By 2028 the $13.9 billion battery plant will employ 5,100 people, up from some 800 now, said Sean Suggs, president of Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina.