Aurica Motors
Former automotive company / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Aurica Motors, LLC was a start-up based out of Santa Clara, California that develops a proprietary electronic power train called the Aurica Recurve for electric cars. The company has stated its intention to partner with other investors to manufacture electric cars that utilize its electronic power train system.[1] Aurica Motors is an offshoot of Aurica Labs, a research and development company started and funded by physicist Greg Bender.[1]
This article needs to be updated. (August 2021) |
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Automotive |
Founded | 2010 |
Headquarters | Santa Clara, California, USA |
Key people | Greg Bender (Founder, Physicist) Matt Pitagora (Co-founder, General Manager) |
Products | Recurve Drive System |
Number of employees | 8 |
Website | auricamotors.com |
On March 10, 2010, Aurica Motors was thrust into the public spotlight with the announcement of its intentions to save the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) automotive plant in Fremont, California from completely shutting down.[2]
The NUMMI plant, a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors, opened in 1984 as an experiment to determine if unionized Americans could adapt Japanese production management practices. The plant rolled out its last vehicle on April 1, 2010, forcing 4,700 factory workers out and likely affecting thousands of part suppliers.[3]
In the same March announcement, Aurica also stated its intention to work with the NUMMI workforce to retrain it for electric car development and find financial backing to retool the plant.
On May 20, 2010, both Tesla Motors and Toyota announced a joint effort to manufacture Tesla's electric vehicles at the former NUMMI plant.[4][5] Under the agreement, Toyota bought $50 million of common stock from Tesla Motors. Tesla then purchased a portion of the NUMMI property including the plant, with the goal of retrofitting the plant for its future “smaller third-generation car,”[6][7] putting an end to Aurica's bid for the NUMMI plant.