Electric Vehicles International (EVI) will relocate its worldwide headquarters and primary U.S. manufacturing facility to Stockton, in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Founded in 1989, the company had since been headquartered in Toluca, Mexico, with a sales and marketing office in Austin, Texas. To date EVI, a veteran in the alternative fuel vehicle sector, has sold more than 1,000 electric vehicles, according to the company.
“Our flexible and scalable in-house powertrains are matched to leading industry standard chassis and cabs," says EVI CEO Ricky Hanna. "EVI, which provides its own motors and controllers, also has a strategic alliance in place with Valence Technology for lithium phosphate batteries."
He adds: " Using industry standard chassis and cabs gives our customers the nationwide support and service that they demand. EVI have made investing in a new technology low risk and desirable by combining state-of-the-art-technology with existing infrastructures.”
The President and CEO of the San Joaquin Partnership, Michael Locke, says, “The commitment by EVI to a new facility in Stockton, Calif., is a major step forward in reaching California’s Green initiative. The San Joaquin Partnership is pleased to have been a part of the project team to support EVI’s investment in Stockton.”
EVI has developed, tested and matured its technology in Mexico for years, as the U.S. truck market prepared for the most recent wave of alternative fuel cars and trucks. “This is the time,” says Hanna, “for us to make the move into the world’s single biggest and most important market for electric commercial vehicles. We have the tried and tested technology the USA has been waiting for. Stockton's location, its logistics capabilities and its pro-business environment mean we will have better and faster access to all key markets and more space and freedom in which to grow.”
By the end of 2010, Hanna projects the local workforce at EVI to grow to well over 100 people, sourced from local San Joaquin County.
Manufacturing of brand new models is expected to begin in early 2010. For more information, visit www.evi-usa.com.
