Electric car manufacturing company will move to Syracuse

Gov. David A. Paterson announced Oct. 23 that an electric car manufacturing company will be opening a facility in Onondaga County, where Syracuse is located.

Bannon Automotive LLC will be investing $26.6 million for this move.

Paul Wimer, the company’s CEO said that Syracuse’s proximity to the rest of New York and other states; Central New York’s persistent initiative to promote green technology, as well as the support of economic development agencies and local leaders, made the company decide to set up this manufacturing base.

This move will create about 250 new full-time jobs for New Yorkers.

“By locating in Central New York, Bannon Automotive is helping to establish our state as the global leader in the clean energy economy and is building on my initiative to accelerate innovation in electric vehicle technology through the New York Battery and Energy Storage Consortium,” Paterson said. “The market for both electric cars and new battery technologies is expected to grow significantly in the coming years and that means jobs for New Yorkers.”

Paterson announced the New York Battery and Energy Storage Consortium or NY-BEST on Oct. 5 to develop energy storage technology and create jobs for New Yorkers. It includes manufacturing of batteries to be used in hybrid cars.