Raleigh — Thanks in large part to the efforts of Rep. Michael Wray, the North Carolina General Assembly has approved $3.5 million in additional funding for the operation and development of the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research (NCCAR), formerly known as the Advanced Vehicle Research Center (AVRC).
It is being constructed along the Interstate 95 Corridor in Northampton County and is expected to generate at least 108 new jobs and $1.49 million in new investment.
“I strongly support the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research Project which combines the talents and experience of multi-national automotive companies with those of North Carolina’s leading universities,” said Rep. Michael H. Wray. “Unique to the automotive testing industry, NCCAR will offer on-site, independent, technical and engineering support.”
The NCCAR is a public-private initiative that incorporates the innovations of multinational automotive companies and North Carolina’s universities and colleges. The NCCAR will feature a development and testing center, engine and chassis dynamometers, garages, a 4.1 mile ride and handling course, vehicle dynamics area, and alternative fuel and fuel cell testing labs.
The facility has been modeled after similar successful initiatives in Ohio and the United Kingdom. Funding has been received from the state of North Carolina, the U.S. Department of Energy, and several private organizations and companies. It will be the only independent research center of its kind on the East Coast.