2014 Detroit Electric SP:01 Will be Built in Netherlands, Not Michigan

Apr 04, 2014 03:00 PM EDT | Matt Mercuro

Detroit Electric has confirmed production for its 2014 Detroit Electric SP:01 electric vehicle won't take place in Michigan anymore, according to Edmunds.

The vehicle will be manufactured in the Netherlands instead.

Don Graunstadt, president of Detroit Electric in the U.S., was quoted saying the European assembly facility "is being prepared right now, ready for production to start in the middle of this calendar year. Orders for the first of its vehicles are currently being taken for deliveries for world markets later this year," according to Edmunds.

A location will be announced during "the next few weeks," according to Graunstadt.

Detroit Electric had originally said that it would start production for the SP:01 at a plant in Michigan in August 2013. The start-up automaker was forced to delay production due to a new for "further development" of the SP:01's aerodynamics, according to Edmunds.

"Production of Detroit Electric vehicles in Europe, along with Detroit, was always part of the plan," said Graunstadt. "Since the company headquarters is located in the city, Detroit was originally the company's preferred location where to actually begin assembly of the SP:01. However, supply-chain logistics have dictated that the assembly operations for the limited production run of that vehicle have currently to be located just in Europe."

Detroit Electric still has plans to manufacture vehicles in Michigan, just not the SP:01. Instead the company "has chosen to save its U.S. resources for an upcoming new model - a sedan - to be engineered, developed and assembled in Detroit," said Graunstadt.

The open-topped two-seat SP:01 has been priced at $135,000. It is powered by a 201-horsepower AC electric motor.

The vehicle's two battery packs gives to a range of around 180 miles, and can be charged in around 4.3 hours.

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