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Could Atmore Be The Future Home Of An Electric Car Plant?

July 3, 2009

Another electric vehicle manufacturing company is looking at creating up to 10,000 jobs between several new U.S. facilities — possibly including a manufacturing plant near Atmore.

CT&T Company Ltd., a South Korean car company, plans to establish a North America headquarters, a research and development and several manufacturing facilities to produce and market an entire product line of electric vehicles and batteries. Company officials say they are considering potential sites in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama and California.

Sites near Atmore and Bay Minette were reported to be finalists last year when Volkswagen AG picked Chattanooga, Tenn. for a plant location. Officials in Atmore and Baldwin County would not confirm if there had been any discussions with CT&T.

“While we are reviewing a number of locations for our operations, we are committed to having a major presence in the Southeastern and West Coast regions,” CT&T President and CEO Young Gi Lee said. “”We are accelerating our plans to become a major investor in zero emissions vehicle technologies in the U.S. CT&T has become a category leader because of our advanced technology, plus we offer a solution to the primary barrier to consumer adoption of electric vehicles by offering EVs at affordable prices.”

By the fourth quarter of 2009, the company expects to begin selling c-Zone utility EVs for commercial and government applications as well the e-Zone City Drive EVs. Vehicles will range in price from $8,000 to $16,000 fully equipped.

CT&T United recently submitted proposals to work with the Department of Energy to accelerate the implementation of battery, electric motor drive and electric vehicle technologies. DOE is expected to announce their plans regarding these proposals later this summer.

“We have an aggressive market development plan, and our innovative Regional Assembly and Sales (RAS) system will enable us to reach our employment predictions of more than 10,000 people in the U.S. by 2014,” said Lee. The RAS system is characterized by a network of regional joint ventures that will facilitate manufacturing, assembly and sales activities in specific geographic market areas throughout the U.S.

NorthEscambia.com was the first media to report last October that a Pensacola group was considering Century as a location for an EV facility with 1,100 jobs. That plan later fell apart after it was revealed that principal investors had tax problems and the state of Florida rejected a $2.5 million grant application. The Century EV project was not related to the South Korean company that is currently considering an Alabama location.

Comments

10 Responses to “Could Atmore Be The Future Home Of An Electric Car Plant?”

J on July 5th, 2009 10:09 pm

There is nothing I hate worse then to be excited about a particular thing coming and turns out that we don’t end up getting it. So concerned I know exactly how you feel.
concerned on July 5th, 2009 1:16 pm

I for one hope you get this because the area of century, gets promises of car plants, helicopter plants, you name it but it never comes out to our benefit, it is shot down before it ever gets started we can thank our local city government for this we have the places that are ready but for some reason the old fogies of this great town find a reason for it not to come to pass, but I for one hope you get it and prove to the rest of the cities close to you that it can be done it just takes wanting to!!! I feel so bad for the young people in and around the area that we have to deal with all the city governments that truly don’t want expansion that could create jobs for this area. it is so bad that they will have to answer to a higher power, again good luck!!!!
bratt on July 5th, 2009 8:51 am

bring it on!
j on July 5th, 2009 12:16 am

Great Idea help put Atmore back on the map. Atmore is a great town and I was blown away when I heard we were getting a Hardee’s that was a big deal to me. But an electrical car plant (Well Blow Me Down)
BigDon on July 3rd, 2009 3:05 pm

Now all of you know that the two papers in Atmore cannot PRINT ANYTHING unless the mayor and the city counsel approve it!. Thats why everyone checks out this site. You find out faster and more information. Nuff said!
Bob on July 3rd, 2009 11:48 am

It never ceases to amaze me how well you stay on top of things for this area. I only hope all the readers realize how this site has changed all our lives. We have all been accustomed to finding out what a few people wanted us to know. In a lot of cases you are responsible for some officials cleaning up their act because they know you (ain’t scared). You will print the truth. Once more,if we could possibly get the grocery flyers. Three local papers could close their doors.
jsut a girl on July 3rd, 2009 10:32 am

i’m glad that we might be gettin some jobs but couldn’t an electrical car be a truck? i mean i am glad that northescambia is probably gettin some jobs cause they are needed very badly but why not a truck??
Elizabeth on July 3rd, 2009 9:52 am

I think those little cars (the pictured one) are so cute. It looks like a toy! Of course, I don’t think our soon-to-be family of six would fit in one…
interested reader on July 3rd, 2009 8:46 am

YES, THANK YOU north esc.com. We would never know what was going on without your site. Everyone I know checks it every day. You see the plant is not considering the Fla. side. WONDER WHY! Well if it does materialize it may be close enough that Fla. will benefit. Let’s hope so. Jobs are needed and this is long term work.
Molino Mom on July 3rd, 2009 6:57 am

Thank you northescambia.com for covering the news that the Atmore News and Atmore Advance misses. Everybody I know in Atmore reads northescambia.com every day. You are the best!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News