In January 2018, Nikola Motor chose Buckeye, AZ, a Phoenix suburb, as the site of the company's new manufacturing facility.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the company selected the site from 30 other locations in nine states. It was a windfall for the Buckeye area as the new hybrid semi-truck plant promised to provide more than $1 billion in capital investment over a six-year period and add approximately 2,000 new jobs.
But then, things went a little too well for Nikola.
The company, which just raised $100 million in the first ten days of August, started receiving pre-orders. While the company claims to have more than 8,000 trucks on pre-order, one of the large accounts is Anheuser-Busch, which ordered 800 hybrid semi-trucks in May.
The orders pushed up the timeline, and according to Tom Stringer, a consultant representing Nikola, the company was forced to ditch its plans in Buckeye and look for sites that had the infrastructure (water, electric, roadways, sewers) to support plant development on an expedited timeline.
According to a report in the Coolidge Examiner, Nikola is moving its new headquarters (along with the jobs and investment) about 90 minutes southeast to Coolidge, AZ.
Stringer, who worked on selecting the new 430-acre site, says that the plant will still create between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs. By 2025, the plant is expected to generate a $1.2 billion economic impact.
According to Stringer, the move will "shave several years" from the project.
According to the Examiner, the company will also receive many economic incentives, such as lower property taxes and sales tax reimbursement.
Nikola is developing hydrogen-electric trucks with a 500-1,200-mile range that are capable of refueling in 20 minutes. Some trucks should be ready by 2020, with full production set for 2021.
Nikola, formerly based in Utah, is also moving its headquarters. The new facility, as well as a new R&D center, is currently under construction in Phoenix.
Image Credit: Nikola Corporation / https://nikolamotor.com/press_releases/nikola-raises-100-million-in-august-49