Gotion, a Chinese-owned advanced battery manufacturer, says it won't return a multi-million dollar grant to the state of Michigan.
That's after local opposition halted Gotion's plan for a massive EV battery plant.
In 2023, as part of a larger planned incentive package, the State of Michigan gave Gotion nearly $24 million dollars to buy land for the plant in Green Charter Township, north of Big Rapids.
But opposition to the project grew over Gotion's ties to the Chinese Communist Party. In late 2023, opponents of the plant recalled five township officials who supported the project, and two others resigned.
Leaders who replaced the officials refused to take steps like issuing permits so the plant could be built. Gotion's attorney, Mark V. Heusel, said the company was also "subjected to an onslaught of attacks, threats, unfounded accusations, and anti-China sentiment." The project came to a halt. In March, 2024, Gotion sued the township in federal court.
Late in 2025, the state of Michigan declared that Gotion had breached its agreements, and in late January, the Michigan Attorney General's office demanded the company refund the grant.
Gotion says the demand is not fair, because it's not the company's fault the project was halted.
"The money that the State is now seeking to recover from Gotion was advanced for the specific purpose of purchasing the land for the construction of a manufacturing facility, but due to the actions of Green Charter Township, Gotion cannot develop this Project on that land," Heusel said in a response letter to Michigan Attorney General. "In essence, the land has been rendered undevelopable and is useless to Gotion."
Heusel said either Green Charter Township should repurchase the land in question, for the original purchase price of $23.7 million - or the state should forgive the loan, and acquire the land for a future purpose.
The Michigan Attorney General's office did not respond to a request for comment.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which oversaw the incentive package for Gotion's project, said it had no comment at this time.
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