ElectraMeccanica breaks ground on its US car manufacturing plant in Mesa, Arizona

ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp (NASDAQ:SOLO), a Canadian electric vehicle designer and manufacturer, has commemorated the start of construction for its new US Assembly and Engineering Technical Center in Mesa, Arizona. The Vancouver-based company marked the occasion by inviting 50 guests, board members and local dignitaries, including Arizona Commerce Authority president Sandra Watson to a groundbreaking ceremony, where she gave a keynote address. Sitting across 18 acres of land near the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, the car maker’s 235,000 square foot facility will include an assembly and manufacturing plant, a research center, 22,000 square feet of office space and 19,000 square feet of lab space. READ: ElectraMeccanica ends 4Q with over $129M in cash to help drive SOLO ambitions in the US in 2021 In step with ElectraMeccanica’s asset-light model, the building will be leased from the developer Marwest Enterprises LLC. The building is being designed by architect Ware Malcomb and engineered by Hunter Engineering with contractor Willmeng Construction. When it is up and running, the Mesa facility will roll out 20,000 vehicles a year and employ upwards of 200 to 500 people, said the company. The current completion date is slated for the Spring of 2022. “Today is a momentous day for ElectraMeccanica and the State of Arizona,” Watson said in a statement. “Our electric vehicle industry is booming - with three manufacturing groundbreakings in just the last 16 months and additional suppliers setting up shop. We’re grateful to ElectraMeccanica for choosing Arizona as the home of their first US-based facility and look forward to supporting them long into the future.” ElectraMeccanica CEO Paul Rivera said the new facility will give the company “the physical and human capital” it needs to provide the US retail and fleet market with a ‘Made in USA’ SOLO electric vehicle. “We are thrilled to become an integral part of the vibrant Mesa community, the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area and Arizona as a whole,” added Rivera. The SOLO is a three-wheeled EV engineered for a single occupant. It has a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 80 mph making it safe for highways. “It blends a modern look with safety features at an accessible price point of $18,500,” said the company. The SOLO is currently available for pre-orders. "ElectraMeccanica made an excellent decision in choosing to locate its first US-based facility in the Mesa Gateway area,” said Mesa mayor John Giles. “It’s an ideal location with easy access to two major freeways, the Gateway Airport and a talented workforce.” Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive