ElectraMeccanica to Build EVs in the Arizona Desert
ElectraMeccanica is the latest vehicle manufacturer to set up shop in Arizona, breaking ground on a 235,000 square foot facility. The assembly and manufacturing plant includes a research center and lab on 18 acres near the airport in Mesa.
ElectraMeccanica can produce 20,000 electric vehicles (EVs) annually starting in Spring 2022, with a 200-500 employee workforce.
ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corporation is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with its US headquarters located in Studio City, California.
“Today’s groundbreaking marks a notable achievement for ElectraMeccanica,” said ElectraMeccania President and CEO Paul Rivera. “The new engineering, technical center and assembly facility will be a showcase for our vehicle lineup.”
“This facility will 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.”
ElectraMeccanica’s Solo is a three-wheeled, rear-wheel-drive EV for urban dwellers. Made for environmentally-conscious consumers, the Solo is for a single occupant.
With a 53 horsepower electric motor and 94 lb-ft of torque, Solo’s 80 MPH top speed makes it highway safe, ElectraMeccanica said.
It will do 0-60 in 10 seconds, weighs in at 1,735 pounds, has a 17.3 kWh battery, and a 2.5-8 hour charging time.
The Solo has a lightweight, aerospace chassis, front and rear crumple zones, side-impact protection, rear-view camera, and a roll bar.
Power steering, power brakes, power windows, air conditioning, a heated seat, and a Bluetooth entertainment system come standard.
The trunk is a nice feature, and the cargo area is carpeted.
Final judgment won’t come until we see the actual production vehicle, but it seems like a refined three-wheeler.
ElectraMeccanica is currently accepting pre-orders. $18,500 is the Solo’s MSRP.
[Images: ElectraMeccanica]
With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.
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The size alone makes it the automotive equivalent of a pinball. An Amazon box on top of a go-cart chassis provides just as much safety - NONE.