BATON ROUGE, La. – On Thursday, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced that Elio Motors plans to assemble new vehicles at the former General Motors Shreveport plant.
Elio Motors Inc. plans to create 1,500 new direct jobs by late 2015 paying an average annual salary of $47,700, plus benefits, as well as make a capital investment in excess of $100 million.
The company announced it will produce enclosed, three-wheeled vehicles capable of attaining a highway mileage rating of more than 80 mpg. Targeting a retail cost of $6,800, the company will position the Elio vehicle as a cost-effective alternative to four-wheeled autos. The Elio will be equipped with three airbags, power windows and air conditioning as standard features, and the company expects it to achieve a five-star safety rating. Models will be available with automatic or manual transmission.
"After the loss of GM, we made a commitment to the people of Northwest Louisiana that we would not only pursue possible alternative uses for the old GM facility," Jindal said. "But, we would also aggressively pursue new projects in the region that would create new job opportunities. We look forward to partnering with them to secure job-creating tenants in the remaining space that is expected to be made available at the former GM facility."
Elio Motors is purchasing the GM plant from the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust, known as the RACER Trust.
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