With demand for electric vehicles expected to increase in the coming years, batteries might soon take center stage in the EV revolution as automakers scramble to secure battery supplies for themselves. British company, Arrival is addressing the looming battery crunch by building a High Voltage Battery Module (HVBM) plant in Charlotte, North Carolina. The facility will cost $11.5 million and will be used for assembly.
Yearly output from the factory will reach 350,000 with 150 direct jobs created.
Arrival produces battery-powered buses and vans and is expanding production into the US after setting up a North American headquarters in Charlotte. It already has a microfactory in the same city to make vans.
The company’s microfactory is a deviation from the norm in automobile manufacturing, but Arrival claims it is a better approach. Arrival designs its own hardware and software in-house to increase production efficiency.
The new Charlotte plant will also produce electric vans, making it the second site in the US where Arrival makes vehicles. The company has a deep relationship with the city, as it is involved in Charlotte’s attempt to power its fleets and facilities 100 percent with zero-carbon emissions by 2030.
CEO of Arrival Automotive, Mike Ableson, commented, “By bringing the assembly of our proprietary High Voltage Battery Modules in house, we’re striving to be as vertically integrated as possible. This will enable us to have even greater control over the functionality and cost of our products and pass those cost savings on to the customer while also working toward our goal of zero waste production. We’re excited to add another facility in Charlotte, as we prepare to open our new North American headquarters building just down the road and continue to work in tandem with the city to develop solutions for their electrification and sustainability goals. This is a big milestone for Arrival as we ramp up operations in the region in advance of production starting in Rock Hill in Q2 next year.”
Arrival had previously announced a partnership with Li-Cycle to set up a battery supply chain that incorporates the recycling of battery materials.
Toyota is joining Arrival in opening a battery plant in the US, and the chosen site is just 100 miles away from Arrival’s location in North Carolina.
Renewable Brief 