Autonomous vehicle manufacturer looks to open first US plant in Jacksonville

[marcuscnelson]

Benteler said in a 2023 news release that production is scheduled to start in the U.S. in late 2025, with additional production capacity to be built in Europe and the Middle East/Asia in the following years. The company later changed that date to 2026.

So at this point, this vehicle isn't in actual operation anywhere on the globe?

Of course not, I'm not sure they've even finalized what they'd be building for mass production. They're currently still trying to hire en masse to actually finish that work. Could be years (at least two, like your quote says) before that changes beyond the handful of prototypes they flash.

[Charles Hunter]

I hope this wasn't already posted here. Found it as a link inside another Action News investigation.

The code name is Project Link, but Action News Jax has confirmed that the company’s name is Holon. Action News Jax’s Investigator Emily Turner found they are getting a sweet deal and have ties to Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s highly-criticized autonomous vehicle project downtown.

Holon is a German automaker that has been wooed not only by the Jacksonville Chamber but also by JTA. However, there is quite a bit of overlap between the 2 boards.

...

So, Turner did some digging into the reason why the Holon economic deal is so important to JTA and found that 4 of the 7 board members are also part of the Chamber, and for better or worse, have a vested interest in using one to promote the other.

...

In addition, Action News Jax found that the company just got a major influx of cash from the Saudi Royal Family, which now owns more than a third of the company.

City Councilman Rory Diamond was the lone council member who voted against the incentive package.

“I don’t believe in taking tax dollars and helping a private company, especially this one that is partially owned by the Saudi Royal Family, who literally has hundreds of millions of dollars,” Diamond told Action News Jax.

[thelakelander]

Interesting. I missed this story last month:

INVESTIGATES: JTA’s connection to autonomous vehicle company incentivized by City Council

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The City of Jacksonville has voted in favor of an economic incentive package that it hopes will lure an autonomous vehicle manufacturer to town.

The code name is Project Link, but Action News Jax has confirmed that the company’s name is Holon. Action News Jax’s Investigator Emily Turner found they are getting a sweet deal and have ties to Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s highly-criticized autonomous vehicle project downtown.

Holon is a German automaker that has been wooed not only by the Jacksonville Chamber but also by JTA. However, there is quite a bit of overlap between the 2 boards.

Full article: https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/investigates/investigates-jtas-connection-autonomous-vehicle-company-incentivized-by-city-council/GRQ4UNAJNRFPRO5GPYW354JKEE/

[marcuscnelson]

It's official: Holon announcing a $100 million plant near the zoo, scheduled to begin producing autonomous shuttles ("Movers") in 2026.

https://www.benteler.com/en/press-media/news-and-press-releases/detail/HOLON-to-establish-manufacturing-facility-in-Jacksonville/

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2024/sep/04/german-autonomous-ev-maker-holon-to-open-100-million-production-facility-in-2026/