Arrival announces plans to establish first U.S. microfactory

Arrival (London, U.K.), a global electric vehicle company, announced on Oct. 13 plans to establish its first U.S. microfactory in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The $46 million investment into the region will create 240 new jobs.

Founded in 2015, Arrival works with cities around the world to create zero-emission mobility solutions for today's transportation challenges. The company says its South Carolina operations will use a new cell-based assembly method to produce vehicles rather than a traditional automotive production line, allowing the production of any vehicle from Arrival’s portfolio. With this model, Arrival says it occupies a smaller footprint, hence the name "microfactory." The microfactory design is key to Arrival’s approach to bringing down the cost of electric vehicles to accelerate mass adoption.

According to Arrival, the company’s new operations will initially focus on building electric buses with Arrival's vertically integrated approach to vehicle production, which uses the company’s in-house developed components, materials and software. Materials for the electronic vehicles will be sourced from surrounding regions through a localized supply chain, which will also help to reduce the environmental impact; currently, Arrival’s buses incorporate composites.

Arrival is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2021, with the start of production in the fourth quarter of 2021. Individuals interested in joining the Arrival team should visit the company’s hiring website at www.readysc.org/arrival.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project.