Electric vehicle microfactory makes its Arrival to South Carolina

Founded in 2015 and based in London, England, Arrival is now making its way across the Atlantic to set up its South Carolina operations. The company’s first U.S. operations will utilise 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, a press release reads. With this model, Arrival occupies a smaller footprint, which is the clue to the name "Microfactory." The Microfactory design is described as key to the company’s approach in 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 utilises the company’s in-house developed components, materials and software. Arrival is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2021, with production starting by the fourth quarter of 2021. "Our new Microfactory in South Carolina is the beginning of a paradigm shift in the EV space. We're thankful for the great work at the state and local levels that lead us to South Carolina, and we are excited to be able to partner with York County to deliver our vision for commercial electric vehicles while investing in the lives of the community members that support Arrival.” says Arrival CEO of North America Mike Ableson, in the press release.