ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. broke ground on its first U.S. based assembly facility and state-of-the-art engineering technical center in Mesa this week.
The expansion represents the third groundbreaking for an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Arizona since 2019.
Sitting across 18 acres of land near the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, ElectraMeccanica’s state-of-the-art engineering technical facility will feature both a light vehicle assembly plant along with multiple labs to support vehicle, chassis and power electronics testing as well as comprehensive research facilities. Part of an investment of over $35 million, the 235,000 square foot facility will provide space for local assembly of the brand’s flagship electric vehicle, SOLO. The new facility is part of ElectraMeccanica’s ongoing expansion plan and is scheduled for completion in Spring 2022.
ElectraMeccanica also expects this new facility to generate second order effects that will positively impact the local and state economies. In addition to strong consumer interest in the SOLO EV, the Company has seen growing interest in commercial fleet and utility applications. Beyond working to address commuting and traffic congestion challenges in the region, the Company intends to work with local municipalities to initiate a future pilot SOLO share ecosystem in the Mesa and the greater Phoenix region.
Arizona’s electric vehicle manufacturing has surged in recent years, starting with Lucid in 2016, followed by an announcement from Nikola in 2018. Arizona has also expanded its supply chain with UACJ Whitehall announcing a new plant in Flagstaff that will manufacture parts for electric vehicles and Li-Cycle building a new lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Gilbert.
“Today marks a momentous occasion for our company,” said Paul Rivera, CEO, ElectraMeccanica. “The new engineering technical center and assembly facility will be a showcase for ElectraMeccanica and also give us the ability to provide the US retail and fleet market a ‘made in the USA’ product with Arizona labor. We are thrilled to become a part of the Mesa community, the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area and Arizona. We are excited to bring jobs here to hundreds of families.”