Electric bus company Damera to open first U.S. factory in Illinois

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTVO) — Damera, a Canadian distributor of electric buses, is expanding into the United States, with its first assembly plant to be built in Illinois.

The news was announced Tuesday by Gov. JB Pritzker while meeting with Damera leadership during a business development trip to Washington D.C.

“Over the past six years, Illinois has pushed to solidify our status as a hub of the EV future – and put our shoulder to the wheel to get that vision off the ground and on the road,” said Pritzker. “With this investment of more than $31.5 million–supported by state incentives–Damera will expand into our state and create 90 new full-time jobs. Through our competitive incentive programs, workforce development, and other business attraction efforts, the state is bringing in companies like Damera that not only create jobs and opportunity for our people, but commit themselves to our communities.”

Damera is the North American distributor of the Turkey-based company Karsan’s eJEST minibus, which can hold 19 passengers and travel 130 miles on a single charge.

Damera plans to open a facility in the greater Peoria region to sell and service the eJEST and establish the first U.S. assembly plant.

The announcement represents an investment of $31.5 million in the Illinois economy over four years.

Gov. JB Pritzker set a goal of having 1 million EVs on Illinois roads by 2030, and introduced a Reimagining Electric Vehicles Act (later renamed the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles Act), which incentivized manufacturers to move to the state.

Lion Electric, which opened a plant in Joliet to build electric school buses, recently filed for bankruptcy.

The state recently pledged $16 million to help EV maker Rivian open a $120 million supplier park near its headquarters in Normal.