New Microfactory Producing Electric Delivery Vans Brings Jobs To Mecklenburg County

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Officials with Arrival, the global company creating electric vehicles, announced Wednesday that they will be building their second U.S. microfactory in Charlotte, North Carolina bringing over 250 new jobs to Mecklenburg County.

Officials say the microfactory will produce electric delivery vans and will initially start by making zero-emission vans for UPS, with production expected to begin in 2022.

The new microfactory will be located in west Charlotte near the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and Arrival will invest $41.2 million into the production center that can assemble up to 10,000 electric delivery vans each year, officials say.

“Arrival is excited to expand its presence in Charlotte and we look forward to playing an even bigger role in contributing to the local community and bringing onboard the region’s local talent.  Our newest Microfactory will be producing two different classes of EV Vans for our US customers, expanding the zero-emissions options for fleet operators and accelerating the mass adoption of electric vehicles. We are pleased to increase our investment as we extend our partnership with the City of Charlotte and believe we will continue to see strong demand for our vehicles as more operators transition to electric,” said Michael Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive.  

In fall of 2020, Arrival officials say they built their first microfactory for electric buses in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and in December of 2020, they announced they would establish their North American headquarters in South End creating over 650 jobs in the Charlotte Mecklenburg region.

Officials say many of the vehicles produced at this new microfactory near the airport are expected to enter UPS’s North American fleet as part of the company’s commitment to buy up to 10,00 vehicles from Arrival.

“We’re excited by this significant milestone that will enable UPS to economically deploy electric vehicles throughout our global operations at an increasing pace,” said Luke Wake, vice president of maintenance and engineering, UPS Corporate Automotive. “At UPS, we’re laser focused on finding operational efficiencies. Establishing factories that can quickly serve both the European and North American markets is a masterful use of logistics. We can’t wait to see UPS’s new electric vehicles roll out of this factory as this is also one of many paths UPS is taking to reduce its CO2 emissions.”

Arrival has already created strong partnerships with the city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and community leaders in clean energy since coming to Mecklenburg County just a few months ago, according to a news release.

Officials say in December the county, city, and Arrival signed an agreement that demonstrates their shared values and goals on improving sustainability efforts that will build on Mecklenburg County’s Environmental Sustainability Plan.

“We are pleased to partner with Arrival to bring new employment opportunities to the County, specifically to the West Charlotte area. As a County we have worked to build a thriving manufacturing sector to help bridge the economic mobility gaps in our community. Arrival’s forward-thinking leadership in the electric vehicle sector positions them for long-term growth and the ability to offer great entry level jobs with growth potential for our residents,” said George Dunlap, Chair of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. “Additionally, we look forward to partnering with Arrival to advance the goals of the County’s Environmental Sustainability Plan.”