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THE BRIGHTEST IDEAS ARE COMING FROM
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quickly raised $4.5 million aster innovator by GARY DAUGHTERS through seed money and a Elon Musk is WeFunder campaign. not the only “Volcon was quickly funded with an entrepreneur poised to churn oversubscribed seed round, confirming the out electric vehicles in the enthusiasm for the category,” said Leisner. “I Texas capital, Austin. As Musk’s am excited to help lead the evolution of the $1.1 billion Tesla Gigafactory takes shape in powersports industry with electric vehicles eastern Travis county, so many EV models that enhance the outdoor experience while are being imagined and manufactured in the reducing our environmental footprint for Austin region that it’s now becoming known future generations. Thanks to companies like as the “electric vehicle capital of the world.” Tesla, the electrification of the powersports That’s the term used by Andrew Leisner, industry is no longer a question of if, but CEO of the newly formed EV startup, Volcon. when, and Volcon is positioning itself to play Launched in October 2021, Volcon describes a substantial role in this rapidly changing itself as “the first all-electric, off-road environment.” powersports company.” Its initial lineup At the same time that Volcon expands its includes two and four-wheeled electric, offfootprint and its offerings, Austin-based Ayro road adventure and utility vehicles including is scaling up to produce tens of thousands of The Grunt, an electric motorcycle with a 100light-duty electric vehicles that can be used mile range and a maximum speed of 60 miles to deliver food and to ferry travelers around per hour priced at about $6,000. airports. The Ayro 311, a uniquely shaped Volcon is off to an impressive start, three-wheeler is tailored to restaurants, having already announced plans to build a pharmacies and other business seeking cost manufacturing plant in nearby Liberty Hill that’s expected to produce up to 9,000 vehicles savings while pursuing sustainability goals. Based just north of Austin in Cedar Park, a year. The new factory is to feature riding Hyliion makes electrified power trains trails, an RV park and customer experience for tractor-trailers that cut down on fuel center. Through December 2020, Volcon had
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