VIA Motors is moving its headquarters from Utah to suburban Detroit to take advantage of the region’s growing infrastructure for developing electric vehicles.
“Our goal is to provide the best electric work trucks for fleets everywhere, and this facility is critical to achieving that goal,” said VIA CEO Bob Purcell.
New technical center established
The 98,000-square-foot headquarters and technical center in Auburn Hills in Detroit’s northern suburbs is expected to employ approximately 300. It will act as a hub for VIA’s vehicle design and testing, including the development of prototype vehicles.
“We’re excited and proud to partner with the city of Auburn Hills and the State of Michigan, tapping into the region’s automotive expertise to help global fleets shift toward a zero emission, commercial electric future,” Purcell added.
VIA Motors has a portfolio of electric work trucks from classes two to five with variety of configurations from the box truck and cutaways, to stake trucks and walk-in vans. VIA also provides tailored electric solutions for fleets that meet specific needs at a reasonable cost.
The company’s technical center in Orem, Utah will continue to operate as a research and development hub for the Western United States.
Last month, VIA announced it received a purchase order for 2,000 Class 3 electric cutaway chassis cabs from Pegasus Specialty Vehicles. Pegasus will use the VIA chassis for Type A school buses, electric shuttles and paratransit busses.
In 2021, VIA was acquired for $630 million by Ideanomics, which is focused on driving the adoption of commercial electric vehicles.
Magna also expands
Magna also announced it is investing more than $500 million to expand its operations in three different locations in Southeast Michigan.
The company is expanding its facility in St. Clair for battery enclosures and is opening new facilities in Shelby Township for powertrain components, such as battery trays, and Detroit for seats. The developments follow new business awards in these product areas, some of which support the growing electrification market.
The new operations are expected to bring more than 1,500 new jobs to the state of Michigan.
“With our unmatched capabilities across our product areas, we continue to work with our customers to help them meet their mobility needs. We are excited to be able to bring new business, more investment and additional jobs to Michigan and we thank the state for its support,” said Eric Wilds, chief marketing and sales officer.