RALEIGH, N.C. - A Vietnamese automaker announced plans Tuesday to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture electric vehicles, promising to bring 7,500 jobs and ending the state's streak of near-misses for landing carmakers.VinFast will build its first North American plant in Chatham County southwest of Raleigh, with production expected to start in 2024.
It expects to employ 7,500 by 2027 with average salaries of $51,000, according to the state Commerce Department."VinFast’s transformative project will bring many good jobs to our state, along with a healthier environment as more electric vehicles take to the road to help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Gov.
Roy Cooper said in a statement.The company is building on a nearly 2,000-acre (800-hectare) site that's about a 30-minute drive southwest of Raleigh and is expected to invest $4 billion in the plant.
The plant is slated to be able to manufacture 150,000 cars per year. The state has agreed to use job development grants to reimburse $316 million over 32 years if it hits job-creation and investment goals.