automotive founded 2010 headquarters santa clara california usa key people greg bender founder physicist matt pitagora co founder general manager products recurve drive system number of employees 8 website auricamotors.com aurica motors llc is a start up based out of santa clara california that develops a proprietary electronic power train called the aurica recurve for electric cars . the company has stated its intention to partner with other investors to manufacture electric cars that utilize its electronic power train system . 1 aurica motors is an offshoot of aurica labs a research and development company started and funded by physicist greg bender . 1 on march 10 2010 aurica motors was thrust into the public spotlight with the announcement of its intentions to save the new united motor manufacturing inc. nummi automotive plant in fremont california from completely shutting down . 2 the nummi plant a joint venture between toyota and general motors opened in 1984 as an experiment to determine if unionized americans could adapt japanese production management practices . the plant rolled out its last vehicle on april 1 2010 forcing 4 700 factory workers out and likely affecting thousands of part suppliers . 3 in the same march announcement aurica also stated its intention to work with the nummi workforce to retrain it for electric car development and find financial backing to retool the plant . on may 20 2010 both tesla motors and toyota announced a joint effort to manufacture tesla s electric vehicles at the former nummi plant . 4 5 under the agreement toyota bought 50 million of common stock from tesla motors . tesla then purchased a portion of the nummi property including the plant with the goal of retrofitting the plant for its future smaller third generation car 6 7 seemingly putting an end to aurica s bid for the nummi plant . contents 1 history and financing 2 technology and products 3 criticism 4 references 5 external links history and financing edit aurica motors was registered as a limited liability company in california on march 15 2010 . 8 five days earlier the start up publicly announced its long term desire to save the nummi factory and thousands of plant and supplier jobs . we want to keep the plant open and we believe we have a very viable plan to do so by manufacturing electric cars said matt pitagora general manager of aurica . it s all about keeping the lights on . 9 aurica said that it would finance such an endeavor with an aggressive campaign to garner federal economic stimulus funding 10 and find investors . 11 the company estimated that it would need nearly 1 billion in combined financing to retrain workers and get the factory up and running . 12 aurica claimed to have begun negotiating with nummi in early 2010 to discuss the plant s future but a plant spokesman said on march 10 that there has not been an opportunity for productive discussions with aurica . 13 the nummi plant in fremont california . pitagora has so far refused to release details to the public on current investors and amount of financing already obtained . 10 on march 30 2010 aurica released a press release stating that it had gained two new partnerships to further their goals . the company announced that it partnered with the clean tech institute cti of san jose california to develop training curriculum on electric auto manufacturing with the intent of offering it to nummi plant staff . 14 cti released further details on its web site indicating that it would offer two different intensive programs to nummi staff a photovoltaic specialist course and a more entry level electrical systems course . 15 aurica also announced a partnership with motive industries a specialized vehicle manufacturer based in calgary canada . 14 motive has already supplied a series of concept car designs to aurica for public display . 16 with the may 20 2010 announcement of the purchase of the nummi plant by tesla motors aurica s bid to purchase the factory ended . however aurica stated on its web site that it would still attempt to work with former nummi employees to retrain them for work manufacturing aurica electric cars in the silicon valley . 17 the startup hasn t made it clear if it has alternative manufacturing sites in its future plans . technology and products edit aurica s base technology appears to be its recurve drive system an extended range variable speed motor controller that attaches to four independent electric motors connected to the wheels . the company states that the primary benefit is that power doesn t have to be transferred mechanically to the wheels with such a system . 18 aurica hopes to implement its recurve drive system into what it s calling the aurica e car . the e car would have a standardized frame and drive system that would allow multiple body types to be fit on the chassis even allowing for customized car and light truck bodies . 19 according to aurica each car would be run by its power exchange package pep an optimized swappable and rechargeable battery pack that when combined with its proprietary drive technology would last up to twice as long as it would on its own . the battery could be recharged at home or swapped out at a special aurica recharging station in three minutes or less . aurica touts that its recharging stations would be powered with green energy . 20 the company also states that the car would optimally have regenerative braking true radial steering and an all wheel drive system . no prototypes have been built though auto designs have been posted by the company . 16 criticism edit since aurica s announcement to save the nummi plant and the jobs associated with it some critics have questioned the viability of the plan . edward niedermeyer journalist and editor in chief of the truth about cars doubted aurica s business plan saying the idea that nummi s 500k unit capacity could be used to build evs within two years as aurica s reps suggest is laughable especially considering that the 40k ev market already has a healthy number of contenders . 21 despite this criticism regardless of the unit volume capacity of the nummi facility the may 20 2010 purchase of the plant by tesla motors indicates that electric cars will be built there albeit by toyota and tesla rather than aurica motors . 6 in an interview with the oakland tribune nummi spokesman lance tomasu indicated that through the limited negations conducted with aurica he is not sure whether their proposal is viable enough to come up with the more than half billion dollars it would take to retrofit the plant . 13 john o dell of green car advisor questioned how aurica would be able to afford to run the 5 300 000 square feet 490 000 m2 nummi plant estimating nearly 50 million a year in electricity costs alone . o dell also referenced a review of the plant by tesla motors indicating that tesla turned down an offer to utilize it because it was about 10 times the size of a facility tesla would need to manufacture its cars . 22 despite this comment tesla motors went on to buy the nummi plant in a joint venture with toyota on may 20 2010 . 6 ricardo reyes a spokesman for tesla indicated to the new york times that the plant s ability to manufacture 500 000 cars a year made it attractive as an investment in the future . 7 references edit a b would be ev maker s plan to save nummi auto plant a long shot at best . green car advisor . 2010 03 11 . archived from the original on 15 march 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . aurica motors announces plan to keep nummi plant open by manufacturing electric cars word document . aurica motors . 2010 03 10 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . nummi plant closure ends toyota gm venture . national public radio . 2010 04 01 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . tesla motors announces factory in northern california . tesla motors . retrieved 2010 06 09 . tesla motors and toyota motor corporation intend to work jointly on ev development tmc to invest in tesla . toyota . archived from the original on 20 june 2010 . retrieved 2010 06 09 . a b c riddell lindsay 2010 05 20 . tesla to buy nummi plant build cars with toyota . san francisco business times . archived from the original on 4 june 2010 . retrieved 2010 06 09 . a b motavalli jim 2010 05 22 . some views of the toyota tesla deal . the new york times . archived from the original on 28 may 2010 . retrieved 2010 06 09 . california secretary of state business search . california secretary of state . 2010 03 15 . archived from the original on 2 april 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . pitagora matt 2010 03 11 . electric car start up aims to keep nummi open with zero emission vehicles . the microsoft network . retrieved 2010 04 02 . a b electric car start up aims to keep nummi open with zero emission vehicles . the microsoft network . 2010 03 11 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . show your support . archived from the original on 15 march 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . auto firm setting sights on nummi . the oakland tribune . 2010 03 10 . archived from the original on 13 march 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . a b tomasu lance 2010 03 10 . auto firm setting sights on nummi . the oakland tribune . archived from the original on 13 march 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . a b electric car company aurica motors signs up two new partners clean tech institute and motive . prlog aurica motors . 2010 03 30 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . nummi employee clean tech orientation . clean tech institute . retrieved 2010 04 02 . a b aurica motors s photos concept car designs . facebook aurica motors . retrieved 2010 04 02 . the nummi plant shutdown put 4 700 people out of work . how aurica will help . . aurica motors . retrieved 2010 06 09 . aurica s new recurve drive system saves energy and takes you further . aurica motors . archived from the original on 15 march 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . the aurica e car . aurica motors . retrieved 2010 04 02 . it s powered by the sun the wind or your very own garage . aurica motors . retrieved 2010 04 02 . niedermeyer edward 2010 03 10 . the audacity of startups 8 person ev firm targets nummi . the truth about cars . retrieved 2010 04 02 . o dell john 2010 03 11 . would be ev maker s plan to save nummi auto plant a long shot at best . green car advisor . archived from the original on 15 march 2010 . retrieved 2010 04 02 . v t e automotive industry in the united states automotive industry economy of the united states transportation in the united states american vehicle manufacturers list agco challenger tractor massey ferguson allied specialty vehicles champion bus collins eldorado national e one fleetwood goshen coach holiday rambler laymor wheeled coach am general american expedition vehicles american growler amp electric vehicles anteros coachworks arcimoto armour group inc. atk motorcycles aurica motors autocar blue bird boulder electric vehicle brammo brunton stalker caterpillar fca us chrysler dodge jeep ram cnh industrial case ce case ih commuter cars cushman cycle scoot delorean chenowth racing products eagle bus environmental performance vehicles equus elio motors faraday future ford