Tracy, Sacramento on short list for future electric-car factory

Electric-car maker Atieva is considering sites in Sacramento and Tracy for its first $530 million manufacturing plant, according to state documents.

Founded in 2007 by former Tesla and Oracle executives, Atieva is currently headquartered in Palo Alto and has received significant support from investors in China.

The company, which is designing a sedan able to go 300 miles on a single charge, plans to begin selling its first cars in 2018.

A staff report released in January by the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority recommended Atieva receive more than $44 million in tax breaks if it builds in California.

"Site selection for both the new headquarters and the manufacturing facility is currently underway with potential locations for the manufacturing facility identified in Tracy and Sacramento, as well as out-of-state locations," the report stated.

The report estimated the project would generate 250 construction jobs and 1,297 permanent jobs.

Company executives recently told Reuters news agency they plan to make a final decision by the end of the year.

Alejandro Ruiz, a program manager for the Authority, told KCRA 3 on Thursday the project is still active and a decision is expected sometime this summer.

The Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council is charged with attracting companies to the region.

Executive Director Barry Broome declined to comment, citing a non-disclosure agreement with Atieva.

A message left at Atieva headquarters was not immediately returned.

"I don't have any inside information (on) exactly where they're looking at," said state Sen. Richard Pan of Sacramento.

However, Pan said potential sites would likely include McClellan Air Park in North Highlands and Metro Air Park near Sacramento International Airport.

"We have a lower cost of living (compared) to the Bay Area, lower land costs. I mean, there's a lot of reasons why Sacramento should be the place that they want to manufacture cars," Pan said.

In 2014, California lost out to Nevada when Tesla, another electric-car maker, decided to build a new battery factory near Sparks.

The state of Nevada offered $1.3 billion in incentives, and many California officials felt that was too expensive too match.

Sacramento Mayor-elect Darrell Steinberg, who was the president pro tem of the state Senate at the time, agreed with the decision.

"If the company or another state bids that much higher and we can't or shouldn't pay that amount of money, then you win some and you lose some," he said.

Steinberg, who takes office in December, said the city should offer to streamline its permitting processes for companies like Atieva.

Source: Tracy, Sacramento on short list for future electric-car factory