An Italian electric car manufacturer plans to open in Middle GA. What we know

An Italian electric car company has plans to open an EV manufacturing plant in Fort Valley within the next two years, company officials have announced.

Imola Automotive USA is already leasing land long-term next to Fort Valley State University, company CEO Rodney Henry said in an interview with The Telegraph.

The company plans to break ground on the 195-acre plot by the third quarter of 2024, then open the plant within 20 months of that point. By the time it’s all said and done, Imola’s Fort Valley plant should employ 7,500 workers, Henry said.

“We were contacted by several community stakeholders from the Fort Valley community, and they were so passionate about their community that we decided to take a look,” Henry said. “Once we connected with Mayor (Jeffery) Lundy, we were impressed by him and his vision for the city.”

In addition to the Fort Valley site, the company also started leasing 295 acres in Juliette, Georgia, about 30 miles northwest of Macon from the same person who leased them land in Fort Valley, Henry said.

Henry said Lundy was a big advocate for the plant coming to Fort Valley.

“It was a priority for my administration to land a company like Imola Automotive for the citizens of Fort Valley,” Lundy said in a statement. “The fact that Imola believes in being environmentally friendly and is committed to sustainability is a major accomplishment for the city.”

The move toward electric vehicles in Georgia does not come without precedent — the state led the Southeast by making up more than 7% of the market share for electric vehicles in the U.S., according to a study by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Most of that increase in EV sales comes from larger cities like Atlanta and Savannah, though, with some other Georgia cities looking a bit sluggish sales wise, according to reports. The tax breaks for buyers on electric vehicles have helped sales, but are still confusing for some customers.

With the overall growth in Georgia for EVs, however, Lundy and Henry believe the new plant will be a boon for Fort Valley’s economy thanks to jobs and its proximity to FVSU.

“We look forward to the economic impact that the manufacture of electric vehicles will bring to our economy,” Lundy said. “The proximity of the plant to a higher learning institution like Fort Valley state university will give them an opportunity to hire residents and students seeking career opportunities as well.”

Lundy’s enthusiasm is part of what drew Henry and his plant into Fort Valley and south Georgia.

“Mayor Lundy embraced the project on behalf of the citizens of Fort Valley. Throughout the process he has been a joy to work with,” Henry said. “The warm reception from him and his administration made us comfortable enough to move forward.”

The two purchases in Georgia come as part of a multi-state expansion for Imola that marks the company’s first business venture in the United States. The company began in Italy in 1963 and is dubbed in honor of the Italian city with the same name known for motorsports events.

The car the company plans to manufacture has a sleek look based off of early concepts and features some orange accents with a convertible top.

Imola would not be the first plant in Fort Valley that manufacturers electric vehicles.

Earlier this month, the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced $1 billion in new funding for school districts across the country to buy electric and propane school buses. This is the second round of funding through the agency’s Clean School Bus Program. Ultimately $5 billion will be distributed to schools.

Among the largest manufacturers of EV school buses in America is Fort Valley-based Blue Bird, which has earned some $170 million through the grant program so far.

Through this year’s grants, Bibb County School District will receive $6.275 million to purchase 15 electric school buses and 10 propane school buses. Schools across Georgia will receive $60 million to purchase nearly 200 buses.

Some information for this story was provided by reporter Gautama Mehta.