Casa Grande will soon be home to a $700 million electric car manufacturing facility that plans to employ 2,000 full-time workers, according to an announcement made by Gov. Doug Ducey.
California-based Lucid Motors picked Casa Grande as the site for a manufacturing facility that will build the firm’s luxury electric cars, Ducey said during the Tuesday afternoon announcement.
“Tech companies from around the globe continue to discover Arizona. Our appeal is our endless drive to be the best,” Ducey said.
Lucid Motors looked at over 60 potential factory sites in 13 states before picking Arizona as its home, said Brian Barron, director of Global Manufacturing at Lucid Motors.
The plant will be located on 500-acres of land in Casa Grande, and will be near Peters and Thorton Roads, said Larry Rains, Casa Grande’s city manager.
Construction will start in 2017, Barron said, and recruitment for employees is already underway. Barron noted that Lucid Motors is working with Central Arizona College to help the electric car manufacturer recruit and train the folks necessary to get the factory working.
In 2018, production on Lucid Motors’ first car will begin, Barron said.
Arizona was ultimately picked because of its commitment to the company and “genuine” interest from state leaders, Barron said.
Casa Grande Mayor Bob Jackson said that the city has been working for five years to bring in more jobs and growth to the region, and the Lucid Motors announcement is just one example.
Jackson said a strong collaborative relationship between Lucid Motors, Gov. Ducey’s office, Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pinal County and the City of Casa Grande was formed to help this deal come to fruition.
Thousands of hours were invested to make sure the deal goes through, Jackson said, and it was a success thanks to Casa Grande’s access to a strong supply chain and ready work force.
Ducey met with Lucid Motors at its headquarters recently while he was in Silicon Valley for meetings.
“As this announcement shows, we can stand toe-to-toe in attracting the kind of good paying manufacturing jobs that every state in the nation is hungry for,” Ducey said.
Plans for a 2,360-acre motorsports facility in Casa Grande were also announced earlier this year.
