Damera to open electric bus factory in Illinois
The timing for the new factory is interesting, as Lion Electric is facing liquidation and has kicked off the auction of its shuttered electric bus factory in Joliet, Illinois. Now, the state has announced that another Canadian EV bus manufacturer will be opening a plant downriver in Peoria, Illinois.
The new factory will be funded with 31.5 million from the Damera Bus company, while receiving support from a Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) agreement over a four-year period. Illinois’ REV programme offers up to a 75% credit on state income tax for EV manufacturers, but is also stringent upon meeting investment and job creation targets.
According to Yahoo, the factory is planned to create 300-500 jobs once up and running, but the initiators have not revealed when they plan to open the facility or begin construction. They specified that once completed, the factory would include “assembly lines, testing zones, quality control, storage, and administrative offices as well as specialised areas for battery assembly, charging infrastructure, and sustainability initiatives.”
Damera plans to manufacture the Karsan eJest, an electric minibus with space for 19 passengers and a 130-mile range at the 55,000 ft² facility. As mentioned above, Damera is the sole supplier for the electric minibus in the USA. Karsan’s buses are popular in Europe, and towards the end of last year, the company also announced that it would start exporting a right-hand drive variant of the e-Jest to the UK. The North American markets were tapped together with Damera back in 2022.
“Over the past six years, Illinois has pushed to solidify our status as a hub of the EV future – and put our shoulder to the wheel to get that vision off the ground and on the road,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With this investment of more than $31.5 million-supported by state incentives-Damera will expand into our state and create 90 new full-time jobs. Through our competitive incentive programs, workforce development, and other business attraction efforts, the state is bringing in companies like Damera that not only create jobs and opportunity for our people, but commit themselves to our communities.”
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