Chinese-owned lithium battery manufacturer Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) has sold a majority stake in its Tennessee cell manufacturing facility to Fixx Energy, a new U.S. name.
Credit: AESC
Founded in Japan in 2007, AESC eventually became majority owned by China’s Envision Group as it expanded its manufacturing operations around the world. The company established a factory in Smyrna, Tennessee, in 2012 to supply EV batteries to Nissan. AESC retooled the factory in 2025 to produce lithium cells for stationary energy storage. AESC has been a primary supplier to Fluence, a large-scale battery project developer and installer. It’s been previously estimated that the Smyrna factory has an annual manufacturing capacity of 3 GWh of lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) cells.
With new foreign entity of concern (FEOC) requirements from the U.S. government putting an emphasis on limiting the installation of energy products that have Chinese influence, many companies are switching up U.S. factory ownerships.
Fixx Energy took control of AESC’s Tennessee facility last month, and it has signed a multiyear agreement to supply cells to Fluence.
“America has a clear opportunity to expand domestic energy storage manufacturing capacity, supported by strong demand and a growing industrial base. Our facility is operating, and the window to lead is now. Fixx is ready for this moment,” said Jeff Juger, CEO of Fixx Energy.
