Lucid started construction on its Arizona in December 2019 and a year later announced completion of its first phase on Dec. 2.

“We broke ground on the 590-acre Lucid AMP-1 site in Casa Grande, Arizona, on December 2, 2019, and slightly less than a year later we have completed the first purpose-built EV factory in North America,” said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO of Lucid Motors in a statement. “The effort and agility demonstrated by this team is truly astounding, as we’re already commissioning equipment compatible with the Lucid manufacturing system to start production of the next-generation EV, Lucid Air, in just a few months.”

Plans call for the 999,000-square-foot Pinal County manufacturing plant to expand to 5.1 million square.

“They are building cars,” said Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland of the first phase which includes paint and assembly operations.

McFarland said the next phase of construction for Lucid should begin sometime in the first quarter of 2021.

Seven-hundred employees have been hired. They are also getting technical training via programs at Central Arizona College, Maricopa Community Colleges and Pima County College, the mayor said.

Lucid plans to eventually have 2,000 employees at its Casa Grande plant.

McFarland said Lucid’s plant coupled with Nikola Motor’s hybrid truck plant in Coolidge are creating design, manufacturing and supply chain hubs for electric vehicles in Pinal County.

“We’ve created a technical innovation corridor,” McFarland said of the short-and long-term economic development impacts.

Jomi Engineering from Canada, for example, has purchased a building previously occupied by Monsanto and Bayer. The company designs and builds roof components for Lucid’s electric vehicles.

Ontario, Canada-based Jomi also does engineering and design work for medical and military projects.