Chinese EV start-up halts production in Mishawaka

By: Tana Kelley

Posted: Jul 12, 2019 7:14 PM EDT

NOW: Chinese EV start-up halts production in Mishawaka

Mishawaka - SF motors, an electric car company that took over the old AM General plant in Mishawaka, is apparently halting production for its main vehicle.

It also laid off several employees at its headquarters in California, according to media outlet “the verge.”

The company came to Mishawaka a year ago and invested money into the plant and the equipment in it. It was supposed to create hundreds of jobs by next year.

Now since the new CEO announced layoffs in California, many workers here in Mishawaka are very confused.

"It looks like they still anticipate doing activities here but what those activities are. Again, I think the local people don’t know and I think even in California they’re still trying to figure out what they’re going to use this facility for,” said Bill Schalliol, the St. Joseph County’s Economic Development Director.

The company was planning on manufacturing 2 electric vehicles in the Mishawaka plant and they did make strides. According to Schalliol, they did invest $20 million locally on new equipment and new structures for the building. But the new CEO just announced that production for one of those vehicles is halted.

Schalliol said he saw the plant a couple of months ago and it just had test vehicles.

“As far as what they have now, a couple of months later, I’m not sure but at this point in time it doesn’t look like they have enough product in the building to make cars," Schalliol said.

He did say that if the company continues with production and hiring more people, it will be of great benefit to our county and hopefully bring other companies in.

“It means a lot of things. The ability to have 450 people employed, an active building. A building that is paying property taxes. All of those things have an addition spinoff revenue.

We weren't able to get in contact with the company but Schalliol said he spoke with the company yesterday and they said they were not sure yet what will happen. The company should send out a press release by early next week.