In a robust push to electrify its vehicle operations, Daimler Truck North America announced a significant expansion in Portland. According to the Portland Business Journal, the company is to invest $40 million to enlarge its engineering facilities on Swan Island by 110,000 square feet. This move is accompanied by the establishment of an "electric vehicle supply equipment" training center, with a price tag of $3 million.
To support this growth, Prosper Portland, the local economic development agency, has agreed to partly back the initiative. They will provide a forgivable loan covering half the cost of the new training center. Additionally, the state of Oregon has decided to get behind the engineering expansion with a forgivable loan totaling $700,000, aiming to bolster Daimler's commitment to the region and the burgeoning field of electric transportation.
Daimler, which already employs about 3,000 people locally and is a manufacturer of Western Star diesel trucks, sees Portland as a strategic hub for its electric vehicle operations. The company had considered other locations, including South Carolina and Detroit, for the expansion. A Daimler official highlighted the crucial role of incentives in making their decision by saying, “We simply don’t do things without incentives anymore," according to an interview with KGW.
Cementing Portland’s status as a pivotal player in their electric vehicle plans, Daimler has already deployed its first electric trucks in the city, including the Freightliner eCascadia big rigs and the medium-duty Freightliner eM2. With this significant investment and expansion, Portland is set to rapidly become a leading center for electric truck engineering and innovation. The expected addition of 150 high-wage jobs from last summer's enterprise zone tax breaks, endorsed by the Portland council, is also sure to power up the local economy.
