Hybrid Vehicles of Danville, Inc. (HVDI) will locate its new manufacturing facility and headquarters in Danville, Virginia. Jim Bailey and his wife moved from East Helena, Montana to operate the company in Danville. Hybrid Vehicles will initially hire 25 people with plans over a three-year period to employ at least 150 employees. The three-year capital investment total is expected to be at least $1,500,000.
The company will produce a hybrid vehicle solution for large buses and armored vehicles for Defense and Security applications. The vehicle will have a proprietary cooling system operated by solar power in order to keep the interior bearable for the occupants. Many of the vehicles will be exported overseas where there is a burgeoning demand for more fuel efficient and versatile armored vehicles. Jim Bailey has already established several international high level leadership relationships where the vehicles are in high demand.
The project would not have been possible without a $420,000 Tobacco Commission Revitalization Opportunity Fund grant. “The TROF grant enables us to get started by purchasing equipment and hiring people to meet contracts that we already have,” stated Jim Bailey.
"This is another great day for southern Virginia. The Tobacco Commission TROF program is the most effective incentive program that we have in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Almost every economic development project of considerable size has received a grant, which made a difference of the company locating in southern Virginia versus a neighboring state,” explained Delegate Danny Marshall.
HVDI has entered into a joint venture with the Advanced Vehicles Research Center (AVRC). HVDI is utilizing AVRC’s Military-Off-Road-Test-and-Training Site (MORTTS), an all-wheel Mustang 500 Dynamometer and a proprietary Milspec Cybermetrix data acquisition system for testing the armored vehicles propulsion characteristics and fuel economy performance. AVRC also has a contract with the GSA that establishes a unique purchasing relationship with the federal government, the largest consumer in the USA. AVRC has agreed to provide access to the GSA contract to enable continued sales of these and new armored vehicles to come.
“We are pleased with the growing alternative vehicle sector that we are attracting to our region. Danville offers an attractive operating environment and a growing number of entrepreneurs that collaborate together on projects to create better paying jobs for our citizens. We warmly welcome Jim Bailey and Hybrid Vehicles to Danville,” stated Mayor Sherman Saunders.
The company has temporary space in Danville in order to start their operations and meet contractual order timelines. Negotiations are on-going to secure a final location for the company.