Vallejo Council Mulls Proposed Electric Vehicle Plant On Mare Island

VALLEJO - The Vallejo City Council next week will consider approving the start of negotiations for a proposed electric vehicle manufacturing plant on Mare Island.

The private, incorporated Los Angeles-based Faraday Future wants to build a light industrial electric vehicle manufacturing plant on 157 acres on North Mare Island on the Napa River, the Vallejo City Manager's Office said in advance of the May 31 City Council meeting.

Faraday Future chose Mare Island and the North Bay because of its proximity to Silicon Valley and a workforce that can be trained to build cars in a strong market for electric vehicles, new technology and transportation innovation, Vallejo city officials said.

"When we first started marketing this property, our first objective was good-paying jobs with green technology and an employer willing to make the necessary investment," Mayor Osby Davis said in a statement. "Faraday Future and its plans to make Vallejo its second manufacturing site and bring green technology to Mare Island checks all the boxes," Davis said.

The company's 3-million-square-feet, $1 billion North Las Vegas manufacturing plant is expected to start producing vehicles in a couple years.

The Mare Island facility will include an experience center where customers can learn about the company's products and technologies, observe the production of vehicles and take delivery of and road test finished cars.

The council next week will consider and vote on an exclusive right to negotiate an agreement with Faraday Future.

The agreement establishes timelines and terms for negotiations toward the sale and the project approval of the 157 acres. The proposed exclusive right to negotiate sets a six-month negotiation period with two potential 90-day extensions.

The former shipyard on Mare Island closed in 1997 and the city of Vallejo has since adopted proposed reuse and development plans.

Faraday Future was formed two years ago and has 760 employees in the U.S. and 200 more worldwide.

The company recently introduced a concept vehicle, developed plans for rapid development and production of an entire line of electric vehicles and began development of its first facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

-Bay City News; image of Faraday Future FFZERO1 Concept Prototype via Maurizio Pesce/Flickr