Judy Lamelza
Special to Chicago Construction News
The Damera Corporation, a Canadian electric vehicle company and the exclusive North American distributor of the Karsan eJEST minibus, has announced plans to build its first U.S. assembly plant in the Peoria region. With a capital investment of more than $31.5 million over four years, this development represents strong growth in clean technology and construction opportunities.
“Over the past six years, Illinois has pushed to solidify our status as a hub of the EV future — and put our shoulder to the wheel to get that vision off the ground and on the road,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “With this investment of more than $31.5 million, supported by state incentives, Damera will expand into our state and create 90 new full-time jobs.”
The Peoria facility will be more than just an assembly plant. The plans include:
- Vehicle Assembly Lines: Dedicated lines for the production of the Karsan eJEST minibuses.
- Battery Assembly Areas: Specialized spaces for assembling electric vehicle batteries.
- Charging Infrastructure Zones: Designed to support and test EV charging equipment.
- Testing and Quality Control Sections: For product inspections and performance evaluations.
- Administrative Offices and Storage: Housing corporate operations and warehousing capabilities.
The facility will support the distribution and servicing of the eJEST minibus, a 19-passenger, zero-emission vehicle designed for public transportation services such as those for elderly and disabled riders. Eventually, the plant may expand to support additional EV models.
WCBU News reports the company has leased a 55,000-square-foot facility on Taylor Street in East Peoria for initial storage and service operations. This step is part of a two-phase implementation plan.
