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.
More by Jason R. Sakurai
Latest Car Reviews
Read moreLatest Product Reviews
Read moreRecent Comments
- Calrson Fan Jeff - Agree with what you said. I think currently an EV pick-up could work in a commercial/fleet application. As someone on this site stated, w/current tech. battery vehicles just do not scale well. EBFlex - No one wanted to hate the Cyber Truck more than me but I can't ignore all the new technology and innovative thinking that went into it. There is a lot I like about it. GM, Ford & Ram should incorporate some it's design cues into their ICE trucks.
- Michael S6 Very confusing if the move is permanent or temporary.
- Jrhurren Worked in Detroit 18 years, live 20 minutes away. Ren Cen is a gem, but a very terrible design inside. I’m surprised GM stuck it out as long as they did there.
- Carson D I thought that this was going to be a comparison of BFGoodrich's different truck tires.
- Tassos Jong-iL North Korea is saving pokemon cards and amibos to buy GM in 10 years, we hope.
Comments
Join the conversation
Paul Elio filing lawsuit in 10, 9, 8, 7....
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.