NASHVILLE (AP) — State officials say an electric car battery manufacturing company is planning to invest $220 million in a new Tennessee plant that is expected to create 287 new jobs.

The state Department of Economic and Community Development announced Wednesday that Microvast plans to renovate and expand a Clarksville facility to build battery cells, modules and packs.

State officials say Microvast began establishing a Li-ion battery facility in the United States in 2019 at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy.

The company plans to begin recruiting workers for the facility in the fourth quarter of 2021 and into 2022, with openings available as early as August 2021.

Microvast signed an agreement early this month to merge with Tuscan Holdings Corp. and become a publicly listed company.