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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Electric Powertrain Manufacturer Wrightspeed To Relocate To Alameda Point, California

01/21/2015
Tesla Motors Co-founder Ian Wright will relocate his electric powertrain manufacturing company, Wrightspeed, from San Jose to Alameda Point, California. Alameda Point is comprised of 1,560-acres at the western end of Alameda Island that once housed the former Naval Air Station.

Wrightspeed designs and manufactures electric powertrain units that can be easily installed in existing delivery and garbage trucks. Once outfitted with Wrightspeed's technology, the trucks become near zero-emission, quiet, and efficient commercial vehicles. Wrightspeed is the leading manufacturer of range-extended electric powertrains for commercial trucks in the world, and counts FedEx among its growing list of customers. Moving to hangar 41 will facilitate Wrightspeed's creation of 280 new Bay Area jobs by 2018.

"This is a significant move for us and we thank both the City of Alameda and the California Energy Commission for their support in meeting our commercial scaling needs," said Ian Wright, CEO of Wrightspeed. "Alameda Point has a rich transportation history, and we're pleased to be part of its next iteration as a hub of commercial innovation. I know our employees and partners will find that Alameda is a great business location and a great community to call home." Backed by a California Energy Commission manufacturing grant, Wrightspeed will invest $3 million in the City-owned 110,000 square foot historic Hangar 41 at the former Alameda Naval Air Station.

"Wrightspeed's relocation to Alameda Point is part of the trend that is fueling Alameda's continuing growth as a hub of innovation in the alternative energy and advanced manufacturing sectors," said City Manager John Russo. "As Wrightspeed has discovered, Alameda possesses all of the key business fundamentals companies need to succeed in today's competitive marketplace: superior location, affordability, high quality of life, and a supportive City government."

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