Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Aptera Considering Production Move Out Of State

Oceanside-based Aptera, the developer of a three-wheeled electric vehicles, told its supporters this morning that it is considering a move of its production operations out of California, in order to gain access to "multi-million-dollar" incentive proposals from other states. The firm--which has been very quiet since failing to gain DOE incentive funding last year--said it has received some "very generous" incentive proposals from other states to move its production facility outside of California. Aptera said that despite looking to continue its plans for a plant in North San Diego County, but that the "potential is stronger elsewhere" due to structural costs of being located in the San Diego area. Aptera did not say which other states are dangling incentives to the firm. Aptera also said it is moving its headquarters from Oceanside to Carlsbad, where it says it will begin staffing engineering, composites product development and design positions by the third quarter of the year. Aptera is backed by Idealab, Google, Esenjay Investments, The Simons Family, and The Beall Family Trust.

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