The EV manufacturer said it will ultimately have capacity to produce up to 20,000 vehicles per year at the new facility
December 12, 2022
MESA, Ariz.—A new U.S. manufacturing facility commissioned by electric vehicle (EV) designer and manufacturer ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. will enable ElectraMeccanica to build its own vehicles and “host other companies within the facility as a contract manufacturing partner,” the company said in a release.
The nearly completed plant in Mesa is reported to be the fifth EV manufacturing facility to open in Arizona since 2016. It is said to represent a major step for ElectraMeccanica, fulfilling its commitment to officially establish the company as an American OEM by the end of 2022. It will also serve as the company’s new headquarters. The company said it expects to create 200 to 500 jobs “in the medium term,” including positions in manufacturing, engineering, and technology.
ElectraMeccanica’s flagship vehicle is a three-wheeled EV engineered for a single occupant. Dubbed the SOLO, it reportedly has a range of up to 100 miles, depending on driving conditions, temperature, and climate controls, and a top speed of 80 mph. The company said it will ultimately have the capacity to produce up to 20,000 vehicles per year at the 235,000-square-foot facility, situated near the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
ElectraMeccanica marked the commissioning of the facility with a ceremony attended by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and Mesa Mayor John Giles, along with representatives of the Arizona Commerce Authority and other community leaders.
“We are thrilled to bring production of our vehicles onshore and introduce an enhanced, U.S.-built 2023 model year SOLO EV to market,” said Susan Docherty, CEO of ElectraMeccanica, in a statement. “It takes a village to do what we are doing. Bringing our manufacturing facility and vision for our company to life only works if there is a true partnership between local and state government leaders who are committed to economic development, along with solid business partners who share a vision to create products that consumers crave.”
The campus will also be home to the company’s first U.S.-based engineering technical center, including 22,000 square feet of office space and 19,000 square feet of lab space. The company said it has already activated certain functions, and with the commissioning, has completed several of the necessary steps to begin ramping up full production.
“We’ve been looking forward to this day since ElectraMeccanica announced their intention to build this facility in Mesa,” said Mayor John Giles, in the release. “We’re beyond pleased to have one of the leaders in innovative and cost-effective EVs opening their first U.S. facility in our city. Mesa has become a magnet for advanced manufacturing and supply-chain innovation—a thriving ecosystem for ElectraMeccanica’s new assembly and engineering facility.”
Arizona is reported to rank seventh nationally in electric vehicle adoption, with four electric vehicles registered in the state for every 1,000 Arizona residents, according to the release.
“Arizona is a driving force of innovation, and today’s ribbon cutting for ElectraMeccanica is further proof of that,” said Governor Ducey, in a statement. “We are proud of these one-of-a-kind vehicles that will be made in Mesa, bolstering Arizona’s robust manufacturing industry.”
The SOLO features front and rear crumple zones; side impact protection; roll bar; torque-limiting control, as well as power steering; power brakes; air conditioning; and a Bluetooth entertainment system. ElectraMeccanica is currently licensed to sell its SOLO vehicle in California and Arizona, the company said in the release.
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