Cenntro Automotive, an EV technology company with advanced, market-validated commercial vehicles, has selected Jacksonville, Florida, for its first U.S.-based manufacturing facility.
The Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved the economic development deal on Dec. 14 for the proposed 100,000-square-foot facility to support the company’s production of its vehicle lines, with a possible expansion to support additional vehicles and a battery packing operation. When fully operational, the facility is expected to create up to 34 new jobs including research and development specialists, highly skilled technician positions and administrative support. The new facility will support annual production levels of more than 50,000 vehicles within four years as well as assembly, quality and testing processes, parts warehouse, distribution and administrative functions. Cenntro Automotive expects to invest $25 million in the facility and to begin assembling vehicles in the first quarter of 2022.
Cenntro will use the Jacksonville Port Authority or “JAXPORT” to import materials for the production of vehicles, and use the port to export some of the finished vehicles to partners and clients across the globe.
“Jacksonville is the ideal spot for our first U.S. manufacturing facility with JAXPORT providing a strong foundation in advanced manufacturing and a growing innovation ecosystem,” said Peter Wang, Cenntro chairman and CEO of Cenntro Automotive. “We believe Jacksonville provides a great talent pool as we look forward to contributing to the growing advanced manufacturing environment. Our new Jacksonville hub will serve as a cornerstone for our U.S. commercial electric vehicle sales and manufacturing efforts as our seventh assembly plant worldwide.”
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stated, “Jacksonville continues to be a leader in the logistics sector, and Cenntro Automotive will serve as a great addition to our economy, bringing jobs, investment, and growth throughout the First Coast. I want to thank the City Council and JAX Chamber for continuing to create a business-friendly climate here in Jacksonville.”
Cenntro Automotive’s product portfolio includes Class 1-4 vehicles in addition to off-road offerings. Cenntro currently distributes vehicles in more than 30 countries to target customers, which include corporate fleets (i.e., utilities companies), medium and small companies (i.e., small processing facilities, farms, solar farms, resorts, planned communities, etc.), as well as both state and federal government fleets.
