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Volvo Cars invests $118 million to produce electric car in Ridgeville
Volvo Cars is investing another $118 million into its Ridgeville manufacturing plant, this time to build the fully electric Polestar 3. The battery electric vehicle will be built on Volvo Car Group’s next generation electric architecture, a company news release said. The vehicle is the third scheduled to be [...]
Driving Commerce: Automakers rely on S.C. Ports
Byron Miller remembers when BMW first announced plans to export vehicles from the Port of Charleston in the early 1990s. He served as an intern then for the S.C. Ports Authority, but over the years his roles have changed, earning him a front-row-seat to the port’s growing relationship with the car manufacturer as director [...]
Golf cart companies can’t keep up with demand during pandemic
By Jenny Peterson Contributing Writer Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s a seller’s market for golf carts. After more than a year of staying in, Charleston residents desperate for stimulation have turned to thrills closer to home: golf carts and low-speed vehicles. While golf carts have long been a leisurely, energy-efficient vehicle for many Charleston […]
Coalition hopes to lay down Southeastern EV infrastructure
This week, six large-scale utility companies, including two operating in South Carolina, said they are banding together to address the electric vehicle infrastructure problem. When you buy a car that burns gas or compresses diesel, finding a filling station is usually just a matter of tapping on your phone to find the nearest co[...]
College of Charleston electrical engineering major to focus on autonomous vehicles
Self-driving cars are no longer science fiction. The College of Charleston is preparing for the future of this industry by launching an electrical engineering degree with a focus on autonomous electrical vehicles. This will be the school’s second engineering program and will be offered for the first time in fall 2021. Thro[...]
Baker Motor Co. to establish dealership in Summerville
Baker Motor Co. will open its first standalone Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van dealership in Summerville this December, the company said in a news release. The new $25 million, 28-600 square-foot facility, located at 425 Sigma Drive, will span more than 13 acres in the Nexton community. The company said clients will be[...]
Van upfit company to expand Ladson operations
Driverge Vehicle Innovations LLC is investing $350,000 to expand its Charleston County operations and create an estimated 13 jobs, the S.C. Department of Commerce said in a news release. Driverge, formerly TransitWorks, has manufacturing facilities in Akron, Ohio, Kansas City, Kan., and Ladson, totaling more [...]
Your pandemic ride awaits
Nothing characterizes Americans’ economic well-being and sense of purpose like the cars and trucks we drive. The open road represents that sense of movement and freedom and Americanism that helps define the expanse of country that takes up a good part of the North American continent. However, what happens when that mobility comes to a […]
Land Rover customization company brings headquarters to Charleston
Arkonik Ltd., an England-based Land Rover restoration and customization company, plans to launch its North American headquarters and first U.S. location in Charleston in July. “Less than a year ago, within the foundry of Arkonik’s ambitions, a brand-new objective was cast: Locate and develop a U.S. business hub from [...]
Wells Fargo will no longer accept loan applications from most independent car dealerships
By Jessica Menton USA Today Wells Fargo, one of the largest lenders for purchases of new and used cars, is no longer making auto loans to most independent car dealerships, a sign the bank is concerned about defaults in the wake of the pandemic. In May, Wells Fargo sent letters to hundreds of independent auto […]
Warehousing company expanding in Berkeley County
A third-party warehousing and industrial packaging company is expanding its operations in Berkeley County to better serve the Volvo Cars facility in Ridgeville. Kontane Logistics Inc. offers warehousing, packaging and distribution services to companies, specializing in providing just-in-time services to the truck and automotive manufacturing industry. The company currently has facilities on Charleston Regional Parkway […][...]
Volvo to halt U.S. production next week
Volvo Car Corp. will halt production at its S.C. plant in Ridgeville next week in response to a weakening market and health concerns for employees because of the new coronavirus. The company had already taken precautionary measures and instituted travel restrictions, but Volvo said in a statement that it sees a need to further reduce the […]
