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Australian electric vehicle developer ACE-EV has sealed a partnership with Adelaide truck body maker Aldom, that will mark the beginning of a light commercial and passenger electric vehicle industry in Australia.<\/h3> Under the landmark agreement with Aldom Motor Body Builders, who have over 40 years experience in building vehicle bodies for the commercial transport industry, assembly of ACE-EV\u2019s Cargo commercial electric vehicle will commence starting from the first quarter of 2020.<\/p>
ACE-EV boss Greg McGarvie says the deal with Aldom brings extensive vehicle body manufacturing experience and related capabilities, as well as existing factory floorspace \u2013 the final piece in the puzzle for the Australian startup.<\/p>
\u201cWhat [Aldom] is doing is pretty well supporting everything we need in terms of builder and assembler, as well as distribution and warranty and servicing,\u201d McGarvie tells The Driven.<\/p>
\u201cIt\u2019s very exciting,\u201d says Aldom CEO Mark Haig, who will hire 15-20 new staff to create the new assembly line. \u201cWork wise for us it will be very good, it will be a whole new team.\u201d<\/p>
Haig says the company aims at first to work towards making 10 cars a day at its existing facility. \u201cOnce we get to 10 cars a week we\u2019re then looking at getting into a purpose built premise or adapting an existing one.\u201d<\/p>
To begin with, the molded carbon-fibre reinforced body parts designed in conjunction with Taiwanese and German partners Dr Charles Kung, previously chief engineer for Taiwan\u2019s high speed train, and Gerhard Kurr, formerly of German Binz, will be brought in from overseas to be assembled in Adelaide.<\/p>
A very limited run will make up the first manufacturing line, order for which McGarvie expects they will have no trouble achieving.<\/p>
\u201cWe\u2019re taking 100 orders for vehicles for the first tranche, by the end of 2019 the books will be closed and they\u2019ll be built in the first quarter of next year.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cAs we progress, and the appetite looks like it\u2019s there\u2026we\u2019ll go to full manufacturing.\u201d<\/p>