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Canoo to acquire manufacturing plant in Oklahoma City

Nathan Smith
/
Canoo

Electric car company Canoo is acquiring a vehicle manufacturing plant in Oklahoma City.

Canoo is acquiring a 120-acre site that already houses a move-in ready commercial facility, which, once renovated, will run off clean energy.

Canoo says the Oklahoma City factory will employ more than 500 people and produce electric vehicles, which will start coming out next year.

"Today we are excited to announce our manufacturing facility, which begins our path to scaled production in 2023 and delivers on our plan to bring high-paying light-blue collar jobs to Oklahoma," said Tony Aquila, Chairman and CEO at Canoo. "The Oklahoma City facility has significant room for expansion and is a proven location for large scale production, with an established transportation ecosystem, including rail."

The facility joins several other Canoo plans in the works including: a “mega microfactory” and a battery module manufacturing facility — both in Pryor — as well as a technology hub and a research and development center in Tulsa.

But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Canoo. Despite a pending performance-based incentive package from the state valued at about $300 million, the company’s financial wellbeing and even future existence has been up in the air for months. Canoo says significant delays in facility construction have come from inflation and supply chain issues.

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Beth reports on education topics for StateImpact Oklahoma.
StateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. It's a reporting project and collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU, with broadcasts heard on NPR Member stations.
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