It is an exciting time for electric vehicles (EV). Consumer interest, investments and innovations all seem to be intensifying with startup and traditional manufacturers alike. The latest news? EV company, Arrival announced it plans to establish its first U.S. microfactory in York County, South Carolina. The $46 million investment into the region will create 240 new jobs. Arrival is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2021, with the start of production in Q4 2021.
Earlier this year, Arrival announced that package delivery giant UPS made a commitment and investment in the growing manufacturer. Arrival is focused on reinventing the automotive industry with its entirely new approach to the design and assembly of electric vehicles. Low CapEx, rapidly scalable microfactories combined with proprietary in-house developed components, materials and software, enable the production of best in class vehicles competitively priced to fossil fuel variants and with a substantially lower Total Cost of Ownership.
“The automotive industry continues to be a major job creator in our state’s economy, and today’s announcement is another sign of that. Arrival’s decision to locate new operations in South Carolina builds on our international reputation for being a place where businesses can succeed," says South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.
Founded in 2015 and based in London, England, Arrival works with cities around the world to create zero-emission mobility solutions for today's transportation challenges. The company’s South Carolina operations will utilize a new cell-based assembly method to produce vehicles rather than a traditional automotive production line, allowing the production of any vehicle from Arrival’s portfolio. With this model, Arrival occupies a smaller footprint, hence the name "microfactory." The microfactory design is key to Arrival’s approach to bringing down the cost of electric vehicles to accelerate mass adoption.
"Our new microfactory in South Carolina is the beginning of a paradigm shift in the EV space. We're thankful for the great work at the state and local levels that lead us to South Carolina, and we are excited to be able to partner with York County to deliver our vision for commercial electric vehicles while investing in the lives of the community members that support Arrival,” says Arrival CEO of North America Mike Ableson,
Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the company’s new operations will initially focus on building electric buses with Arrival's vertically integrated approach to vehicle production, which utilizes the company’s in-house developed components, materials, and software. Materials for the electronic vehicles will be sourced from surrounding regions through a localized supply chain, which will also help to reduce the environmental impact.
