COLUMBIA, S.C. – Arrival, a global electric vehicle (EV) company, today announced plans to establish its first U.S. Microfactory in York County. The $46 million investment into the region will create 240 new jobs.
Founded in 2015 and based in London, England, Arrival works with cities around the world to create zero-emission mobility solutions for today’s transportation challenges. The company’s South Carolina operations will utilize a new cell-based assembly method to produce vehicles rather than a traditional automotive production line, allowing the production of any vehicle from Arrival’s portfolio. With this model, Arrival occupies a smaller footprint, hence the name “Microfactory.” The Microfactory design is key to Arrival’s approach to bringing down the cost of EVs to accelerate mass adoption.
Located in Rock Hill, the company’s new operations will initially focus on building electric buses with Arrival’s vertically integrated approach to vehicle production, which utilizes the company’s in-house developed components, materials and software. Materials for the EVs will be sourced from surrounding regions through a localized supply chain, which will reduce environmental impact.
