Tuk-tuk factory moves from Thailand to Porto

“If we take a look at the realm round Porto, the infrastructure was already there, and the assistance from the area helped us to determine to decide on this area”, mentioned Maarten Lijftogt, the director of enterprise growth at E- tuk.

In response to Lijftogt, the choice of Lisbon was additionally on the desk, for the reason that firm has 600 autos within the capital, however the firm lastly selected Santo Tirso and the manufacturing unit there which covers over 6,000 sq. metres.

“I imagine that the vital factor was the certified work that there’s within the nation and the longer term in lithium can be attention-grabbing”.

The corporate’s goal, in response to the director, is to construct a 100% European automobile and have manufacturing returned to the mainland, since having the manufacturing unit in Thailand entailed excessive transport prices.

“Up to now we paid US$1,600 [about €1,517] for a container, and now we pay US$2,100 [€1,990], so I believe worth is a vital issue”, mentioned the corporate’s director, additionally mentioning that “if you happen to transport all of the elements of a automobile and the autos, there may be loads of air pollution concerned”.

The event division stays within the Netherlands and Bangkok, the Thai capital, would be the battery hub for enterprise within the Asian market.

The “Portuguese manufacturing unit will handle the entire manufacturing of electrical autos, together with physique elements, battery meeting and integration with its telematics system, with manufacturing anticipated to be 500 models by the top of this yr, 1,200 models in 2023 and a pair of,000 models in 2024”, says E-tuk Manufacturing facility in an announcement.

In response to Maarten Lijftogt, the E-tuk exports to international locations corresponding to France, Germany, Italy and the UK, primarily for the vacationer market.