RBW EV Cars, a global manufacturer of British classic electric sports cars, announced that it broke ground on an $8 million manufacturing facility in Danville, Virginia, its first in the U.S.
RBW previously announced that it had secured a deal with the State of Virginia to build an automotive manufacturing and technology park.
Located in the Cane Creek Centre industrial park, the 29,000-square-foot new automotive hub will feature RBW's assembly operations, sales and marketing teams. It will also house Spirit EV, the patented electric vehicle integrated system that powers RBW EVs and delivers scalable electrification systems for automakers and specialty builders.
Spirit EV's research and design, engineering and proprietary EV build program teams will all operate out of Danville.
The company expects its U.S. operations, led by NASCAR veteran Peyton Sellers, to create both local and national jobs and bolster Virginia's automotive industry.
Production at the facility will initially focus on RBW's left-hand drive Roadster and GT models, tailored specifically for American drivers. RBW plans to unveil additional product development initiatives and future vehicle lines this fall.
"From the beginning of its operation, the company has been focused on bringing a global EV platform to market that could transcend how automakers design and engineer their own platforms," RBW EV Cars CEO Peter Swain said. "This is where Spirit EV comes in. We will now have R&D facilities in both the UK and U.S."
"The proprietary EV platform Spirit EV has developed allows an automaker to literally plug and play, saving them millions in R&D," Sellers said.
The facility buildout is being completed with American contractors and local partners.
