PHOENIX – Nikola Motor Co. plans to build a 1 million-square-foot manufacturing plant for its hydrogen-electric semi-trucks in Buckeye, Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday, and the company will move its headquarters to the West Valley from Salt Lake City later this year.
Nikola chose Arizona after a 12-month search among nine states and 30 locations, according to a company news release.
“We needed a workforce that could be hired quickly,” CEO Trevor Milton said. “To hire 2,000 jobs is a difficult thing. And not just any jobs – these are jobs that need to be trained.”
The company projects the plant will create more than 2,000 jobs and spur $1 billion in capital investment to Arizona by 2024. Construction isn’t slated to begin until late next year.
Milton credited Ducey’s entrepreneurial spirit as another reason for the move to Arizona.
In the company’s news release, Ducey thanked Milton and his team for investing in the state.
“Nikola Motor Co.’s selection of Arizona demonstrates that we are leading the charge when it comes to attracting innovative, industry-disrupting companies,” the governor said. “This incredible new technology will revolutionize transportation, and we’re very proud it will be engineered right here in Arizona.”
Although the company hopes to have its headquarters moved and the transition completed by October, work on the factory isn’t projected to begin until late 2019 on a lot near Sun Valley Parkway and the new Douglas Ranch/Trillium residential community.