Arizona opens the Electric Vehicle technology door with tech jobs and electric cars and trucks – Part II
AGN.News Team
May 16, 2022
PHOENIX (AGN.News) – United States opens the EV technology door of the future with tech jobs, electric automakers and electric truck production. This is Part II of IV articles on the future of EV technology in America.
Part II – The state of Arizona has taken a leadership role in the production of electric vehicles (EV) by encouraging electric vehicle automakers to come to the state.
With the pollution-driven combustible engines using gas and diesel contributing to the production of pollution and greenhouse gases in the environment especially in the western US, the need for an alternative in the future of transportation has become a major priority.
Many states, like Arizona, and the federal government have stepped up to help meet this need, including communities in Arizona. Since 2007, Lucid Group, Inc., an American electric vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Newark, California has stepped up to help solve some environmental issues.
Lucid Group, Inc. was founded in 2007 under the name Atieva, rebranded under the name Lucid Motors in October 2016 and officially announced its intent to develop an all-electric, high-performance luxury vehicle. Lucid Motors began taking reservations for delivery of the Dream Edition on October 30, 2021.
On November 29, 2016, Arizona officials and Lucid officials announced the planned construction of Lucid’s $700 million manufacturing plant in Casa Grande, Arizona. Luxury electric cars began rolling off the assembly line in Casa Grande on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 with many cheers and a celebration.
Lucid Motors started delivering them to customers in late October. Lucid will initially be building up to 20,000 electric cars and expanding up to 90,000 cars per year. Once all facilities are completed, production capacity will be designed to support a maximum capacity of up to 400,000 cars per year.
The production of Lucid’s first luxury electric car, the Lucid Air, an innovative creation by Lucid Motors, was named MotorTrend’s car of the year for 2022. These Lucid vehicles offer up to 500 miles on a single charge with power levels up to 1,080 horsepower with a quarter mile in as low as 9.9 seconds, according to the company press release.
Arizona’s Governor Doug Ducey, who attended the commissioning celebration said, “Today’s event signifies a new ere in electric vehicle manufacturing in Arizona”. He added, “Lucid’s ongoing investment in Arizona represents an investment in good jobs and livelihoods for Arizonans now and in the future.
“We are proud to call the Lucid Air ‘Made in Arizona’ and look forward to many more innovations to come.” – Gov. Doug Ducey
In 2016, Nikola Corporation unveiled a high-level design for a hydrogen-fueled Class 8 truck called the Nikola One, aimed then to be in production in 2020. The Nikola One is supposed to be a conventional sleeper cab with 10 wheels.
In 2019, Nikola Corporation, an American electric vehicle manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial battery-electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles, and energy solutions, purchased 389 acres in Coolidge, Arizona to produce zero-emissions heavy trucks.
In June 2021, Nikola invested $50 million in a new hydrogen factory headed by Wabash Valley Resources to produce fuel for semi-truck fuel stations across the Midwest.
In July 2021, the company announced plans to add five new Class 8 truck dealers in Arizona, Texas, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Delaware, Florida, Maryland and Virginia.
In February 2022, the company projected between 300 and 500 of its first battery-electric semitrucks to be delivered to customers. These trucks are called “Nicola Tre” trucks.
In April 2022, Nicola publicly displayed the first electric truck, called number 001, followed by number 002, then 003 and so on. These were the first trucks to roll off the assembly line to be followed by thousands to come.
Rivian Automotive, Inc., an American electric vehicle automaker and automotive technology company founded in 2009, is building an electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) and pickup truck. Rivian is currently looking to build a facility in Wittmann, Arizona, at a future date according to sources.
Rivian had 250 employees at the start of 2018. By February 2019, however, Rivian was employing 750 people across facilities in Michigan, Illinois, California, and the United Kingdom. In November 2020, Rivian employed 3,000-plus workers. Over the span of another year, employment roughly tripled, and in November 2021, Rivian was listed as having 9,000-plus employees.
These Rivian electric vehicles are being built on a “skateboard” platform that can support future vehicles or be adopted by other companies. An electric delivery van is also being built as part of a partnership with Amazon.
President Joe Biden will be traveling to Japan and South Korea from May 20-24 on missions focused on economic cooperation, the production of electric vehicles and creation of green jobs in the U.S. The President wants to electrify the federal fleet of cars and trucks.
In addition to electric vehicle production plants, Arizona has added benefits for communities. Local jobs and economic development comes with EVs.
These electric vehicle plants will require electric power, food services, food trucks, cleaners, repairs, healthcare facilities, construction teams, construction materials, uniforms, furniture, IT services and much more. There is an estimated 50,000 good paying local electric vehicle related jobs generated from these facilities by 2026.
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AGN.News Team
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