CHARLOTTE – There may be job cuts coming to Charlotte-area employees of the global electric vehicle company Arrival, which selected the Queen City for its North American headquarters location in December 2020 with plans to add 150 jobs.

But the company, which went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company last year, and as recently as December 2021 planned to add another 150 jobs in the region, may reduce its global workforce by 30%, according to a statement.  TechCrunch first reported the news last week, as well.

The company is in the process of considering a business registration, a spokesperson for Arrival confirmed to WRAL TechWire this week.  The company announced the possible restructuring in a statement last week, which states “Arrival has proposed plans that include a realignment of the organisation that would enable it to deliver business priorities until late 2023 primarily utilising the $500mm cash on hand.”

But to do so, notes the Arrival statement, could “potentially impact up to 30% of employees globally.”

Startup Spotlight: EV startup picks Charlotte for US headquarters, plans 150 jobs

Impact on Charlotte

A company spokesperson told WRAL TechWire said that they were “unable to confirm what the final impact of the restructure will be in the Charlotte region.”

That’s due to an ongoing “consultation process,” the spokesperson said, adding that the company will next provide an update during the firm’s August 11 earnings call.

“The US, and Charlotte, remains a key market to us and we want to reaffirm our commitment to launching and producing our vehicles,” the spokesperson said.  The company statement notes that the firm still intends to begin production on the Arrival Van, an electric vehicle, in the third quarter of 2022, and adds that the company “continues to see a huge amount of interest in its products.”

The company has opened what it calls a “microfactory” in South Carolina near the North Carolina state border, and describes the facilities as a “new method for the production of electric vehicles.”

Electric vehicle manufacturer is expanding, plans to add 150 jobs in Charlotte