Photo: Google Maps screenshot
How the times change. The factory where the ill-fated Hummer street vehicles used to be built is going to be repurposed for the assembly of electric vehicles following its acquisition.
AM General, the current owner of the South Bend, Indiana plant, still has the facility to its disposal until close to the end of the year, when its last contract terminates. When that happens, the new owner will come in and start retooling the factory to serve its needs.
The Hummer seemed like a good idea at the time, and had the company stuck to the original design - the H1 that actually had a visual connection to the military Humvee - it might have had a bit more success. But then the H2 and H3 came along and, with their rounded design and bright colors, diluted the essence of the brand and turned it into a choice for soccer moms.
Now, the factory has been purchased by the SF Motors, a U.S. subsidiary of Chinese company Sokon. SF Motors is a new name on the market with largely unknown plans, but whatever they are, they appear to be quite serious as buying the Indiana plant sure shows intent.
More than that, SF Motors plans to invest $30 million into the facility to bring it up to its requirements. Exactly what the U.S.-Chinese company will build there is yet unknown, but it will definitely be battery-powered.
“This transaction represents a unique opportunity to grow our intelligent electric vehicle business through the addition of an existing production facility and a skilled work force," John Zhang, CEO of SF Motors said in a statement. "We are excited to work closely with our new Indiana-based team to produce SF Motors’ next-generation electric vehicle in South Bend, Indiana, and we look forward to becoming a part of the local community and a strong contributor to Indiana’s economic growth.”
In return, AM General stressed that its core business, the plant assembling military vehicles just next door, would not be affected by the transaction, but will continue to function as before. Neither of the two companies revealed the value of the deal.
The Hummer seemed like a good idea at the time, and had the company stuck to the original design - the H1 that actually had a visual connection to the military Humvee - it might have had a bit more success. But then the H2 and H3 came along and, with their rounded design and bright colors, diluted the essence of the brand and turned it into a choice for soccer moms.
Now, the factory has been purchased by the SF Motors, a U.S. subsidiary of Chinese company Sokon. SF Motors is a new name on the market with largely unknown plans, but whatever they are, they appear to be quite serious as buying the Indiana plant sure shows intent.
More than that, SF Motors plans to invest $30 million into the facility to bring it up to its requirements. Exactly what the U.S.-Chinese company will build there is yet unknown, but it will definitely be battery-powered.
“This transaction represents a unique opportunity to grow our intelligent electric vehicle business through the addition of an existing production facility and a skilled work force," John Zhang, CEO of SF Motors said in a statement. "We are excited to work closely with our new Indiana-based team to produce SF Motors’ next-generation electric vehicle in South Bend, Indiana, and we look forward to becoming a part of the local community and a strong contributor to Indiana’s economic growth.”
In return, AM General stressed that its core business, the plant assembling military vehicles just next door, would not be affected by the transaction, but will continue to function as before. Neither of the two companies revealed the value of the deal.
Google News