PHOENIX (AP)  Electric car maker Lucid Motors said Tuesday it will build a manufacturing plant in Arizona that will begin production in 2018 as it looks to compete in the fast-growing market for luxury electric vehicles.
The decision came amid rising demand for electric cars from traditional automakers and Silicon Valley startups such as Lucid.
Tesla Motors is building a sprawling battery factory near Reno, Nevada, after receiving a generous $1.3 billion incentive package from the Nevada Legislature.
“It’s a real sign that the state is attractive, that California companies and companies from around the country see Arizona as a great place to do business,” Ducey said.
The future for startup electric vehicle makers is far from a sure thing, especially for companies that have yet to manufacture a single car, said Sam Abuelsamid, a senior analyst for the market research firm Navigant who has studied Lucid and met with company executives.
He cites a litany of challenges.
“We’re very excited to be bringing new jobs and our innovative technology to Casa Grande,” said Brian Barron, Lucid’s director of global manufacturing.