Vancouver-based GreenPower Motor Company is pressing ahead in the commercial battery-electric vehicle (BEV) space, as its latest announcement makes very clear.
[Related: GreenPower's first all-electric buses roll off production line]
The company confirmed this week it reached a deal with the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) to establish a new 135,000 sq. ft. production facility in Santa Teresa that will, upon completion, become the company's base for North American operations and US corporate headquarters.
Why Santa Teresa, which is just a short 25-minute drive from El Paso, Texas?
Because Santa Teresa is a major border crossing between the United States and Mexico. The company already has production facilities in southern California and West Virginia, and this new facility, according to the company, will generate over $200 million in economic impact for New Mexico over the next decade, creating more than 340 jobs.
[Related: GreenPower ramps up electric school bus output with $18M financing facility]
The decision was also influenced by Santa Teresa's Foreign Trade Zone status, which simplifies customs, reduces trade costs, and provides access to the North American Development Bank.
Although the press release didn't specifically state which commercial BEV type(s) the new facility will produce, it will certainly churn out medium- and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space, and, in particular, the school bus sector.
GreenPower is the only fully EV company to manufacture both Class 4 Type A and Class 8 Type D school buses, including the BEAST and Mega BEAST.
Last summer, GreenPower and New Mexico reached an agreement exceeding $5 million to support the purchase of zero-emission school buses.
Additional funding for the new facility will partially come from several sources. The state will provide $5 million in Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) funding and $4.6 million for job training through the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP). In addition, the company is eligible for $1.36 million in Rural Jobs Tax Credits and $3.65 million under the High-Wage Jobs Tax Credit program.
"Establishing GreenPower's new manufacturing facility in Santa Teresa marks a significant milestone in our expansion and commitment to safe, sensible, sustainable transportation solutions," said Fraser Atkinson, CEO of GreenPower. "This strategic move leverages the region's highly skilled and dedicated workforce, which has long been recognized as a key driver of economic growth and innovation in southern New Mexico."
