With plans to begin production of its flagship Hypersport electric motorcycle, Damon Motors chooses Surrey location for its manufacturing plant with the promise of 800 local jobs

Damon Motors, the startup Canadian all-electric motorcycle company, says it will build a new 110,000-square-foot cleantech manufacturing and research and development hub in Surrey, B.C. The plant is slated to open and start production by October 2022.

Damon is partnering with Bosa Properties, a subsidiary to Bosa Commercial, a Vancouver-based real estate developer, to build the plant — which will serve as the prime location for the first production of its flagship HyperSport battery-electric motorcycle. For the last two years, the Vancouver-headquartered company toured prototypes of its motorbike at shows and events across North America to spark consumer interest along the way, but had yet to start production.

The announcement of the plant comes on the heels of Damon Motors surpassing $40 million in orders for its Hypersport bike. In June, the company told Electric Autonomy Canada, in an exclusive interview, that its pre-order levels were around $24 million at that time.

Damon claims that Hypersport will be “the world’s smartest, safest, fully electric motorcycle.” Its technology features include a hyperdrive powertrain, an advanced warning system called “CoPilot” and two driving modes that can shift the rider’s position between “sport” and “commuter” mode while in motion.

“As Damon accelerates a clean energy future with our electric vehicles, we’re also introducing a cleaner, industry-leading manufacturing process,” said Jay Giraud, co-founder and CEO of Damon Motors in the company press release.

“We’re excited to produce our highly anticipated HyperSport motorcycles here…and look forward to this world-class facility delivering the safest and cleanest premium, high-technology motorcycles on the market.”

Over 800 jobs

Damon’s new facility is expected to bring in more than 300 high-tech manufacturing jobs and over 500 high-tech office jobs by 2025, with total annual salaries exceeding $62 million.

Surrey’s mayor, Doug McCallum, sees British Columbia as a growing electric vehicle hotspot and says, “the arrival of the Damon Motors manufacturing facility puts Surrey right in the middle of it.”

“We’re honoured Damon has selected Surrey for its production headquarters and are proud to welcome this dynamic and innovative young company to our city,” said McCallum in a press release.

John Martin, vice-president at Bosa Commercial also adds, “We are proud to partner with such an exciting, new company to bring this site to life and drive new green jobs in our region. This local startup success story is a source of great pride for British Columbians, and we’re pleased to be part of the strategy to keep Damon Motors thriving here at home.”

Damon motorbikes are priced between US$17,000 to US$40,000. Giraud previously told Electric Autonomy that the the company is targeting making its first deliveries by 2023.