The competition to produce electric semi-trucks is getting more intense with Nikola Motor’s announcement to build a $1 billion, 1 million-square-foot facility just outside Phoenix to build its hydrogen fuel cell trucks.
“Aer 12 months, nine states and 30 site locations, Arizona, Governor Ducey, Sandra Watson and Chris Camacho were the clear front runners. Arizona has the workforce to support our growth and a governor that was an entrepreneur himself. They understood what 2,000 jobs would mean to their cities and state,” said Trevor Milton, CEO and founder, Nikola Motor Company. “We will begin transferring our R&D and headquarters to Arizona immediately and hope to have the transition completed by October 2018. We have already begun planning the construction for our new zero emission manufacturing facility in Buckeye, which we expect to have underway by the end of 2019.”
Nikola Motor Company designs and manufactures hydrogen-electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems and hydrogen stations. The company is bringing the nation’s most advanced semi-trucks to market with over 8,000 trucks on preorder.
Nikola Motor Company selected Buckeye, Arizona due to numerous factors including the state’s pro-business environment, engineering schools, educated workforce and geographic location that provides direct access to major markets.
Development of the one-million square foot manufacturing plant on a 500-acre parcel at Sun Valley Parkway and the future Wintersburg Parkway is projected to begin by the end of 2019. The site is at one of the entrances to Douglas Ranch/Trillium, a new master planned community being developed by El Dorado Holdings and JDM Partners; this community is projected to ultimately be home to more than 300,000 residents.
