Light Duty Electric Trucks Coming

RV manufacturer Gulf Stream Coach has been a major employer in Elkhart, Indiana for a long time, but the huge downturn in that industry has stalled the company's production and contributed to the area's double-digit unemployment. A few days ago Gulf Stream announced that it is teaming up with Electric Motors Corp. to retrofit existing light duty trucks with electric motors.

Electric Motors Corp. plans to purchase a vacant building where its product can be assembled, and the company anticipates hiring 450 workers. Gulf Stream Coach's current factory will be used to modify the trucks, with a potential increase of about 1,200 jobs. A truck prototype should be ready sometime this summer, with a 2010 target date for full production. Tax breaks and stimulus money will help get the project up and running.