Autel Energy (Autel), an international company providing electric vehicle (EV) products and services, engaged Baker Tilly to assist in locating its first U.S. production facility as part of the EV movement being pushed by the federal government to create a nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations. Autel needed full site selection support services that included an initial consideration for the entire U.S. (lower 48) in geographic options for the new assembly facility, and a fast-paced process to meet growing consumer demand and market competition.
Baker Tilly’s site selection and location strategy team helped the company quickly identify the key siting criteria and narrow the geographic options from over 50 sites in eight states to three sites in two states through an organized and analytical process. The team worked with the site developers, state and local economic development agencies and local utility companies to confirm power capacity and facility occupancy timelines that met the client’s project needs.
Baker Tilly helped the client identify a preferred site in Greensboro, North Carolina, identify a broker to assist in the real estate transaction, introduce a qualified engineering firm to initiate facility design and layout and apply for state and local incentives to support the project. We summarized the process and decision-making path for presentation to the foreign parent company stakeholders so that all parties had a high level of comfort in the final selection. The company has purchased an existing building, is in the process of upgrading the facility to meet their needs and are working with the utility on incentives and site readiness for power service.
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