ElectraMeccanica, a Vancouver-based electric vehicle (EV) maker held a ground-breaking ceremony this week for their new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona.
Located next to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport, the 235,000 square-foot facility will include an assembly & manufacturing plant and a research center. There will also be 22,000 square feet of office space and more than 19,000 square feet of lab space.
The facility is scheduled to be complete by next spring, and have a production capacity of 20,000 vehicles per year. It is also expected to add as many as 500 jobs to the region.
“Today’s groundbreaking marks a notable achievement for ElectraMeccanica. The new engineering technical center and assembly facility will be a showcase for our vehicle lineup and afford us with the physical and human capital we need to provide the U.S. retail and fleet market with a ‘made in the USA’ SOLO EV,” said Company President and CEO Paul Rivera.
The SOLO is a unique looking EV. Its three-wheel design is billed as the perfect all-electric solution for an urban environment. The small EV has a range of 100 miles (160km) on a full charge, and a top speed of 80mph (128km/h).
Safety is a top priority in the design of the SOLO. It features front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, roll bar, torque-limiting control as well as power steering, and power brakes.
Convenience features like air conditioning and a Bluetooth entertainment system are also included.
It is also inexpensive, with a starting price of $18,500 USD. Pre-orders are currently available on their website.
