A Magical Journey, Without the Calories…
There is no magic chocolate river. No bubble blowing machine. No Oompa Loompas. And no ever-lasting gob-stoppers.
But, much like the giant chocolate making factory in the movie “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” there IS a lot of curiosity about what’s in the Shreveport, Louisiana, factory where the Elio will be built. And, why wouldn’t there be? Here’s just a few of the interesting facts about the facility:
- The Empire state building is 2.158 million square feet, or just two-thirds the size of the Shreveport facility.
- The Shreveport facility is big enough to fit 54 football fields.
- Mall of America has 2.77 million square feet of retail space…so, you can fit every single store in Mall of America inside the Shreveport facility.
- If the Shreveport facility was a city with the same population density as Manhattan, it would be home to 7,928 people.
A couple weeks ago, we announced we are working with our manufacturing partner Comau to sell surplus equipment at the facility. This is a huge step forward for the company, as it is the culmination of figuring out how the Elio will be built.
Shortly after that, Paul gave NBC affiliate KTAL of Shreveport an inside look at the facility and the equipment that will be essential in building the Elio. This comprehensive inside look was actually a three-hour tour and conversation about the benefits that Elio Motors brings to the economy, the environment and the American consumer. View interview here.
In addition, here is the first look inside the facility at some of the equipment that will be sold as well as some equipment that will remain.
Paul Elio is interviewed by NBC's Dan Jovic in the nucleus of the plant (where all of the lines meet).
The hub of the station.
Start of the conveyor line.
View more pictures of the facility here.
Okay, so your old Uncle Joe won’t have the thrill of winning that last chance to get inside the factory, but at Elio Motors, we try to be a little more inclusive than the folks at Wonka. It’s great having you all along for this magical adventure and we look forward to sharing more in the months to come.