ClearMotion has secured volume production orders from an EV maker and expects to begin deliveries globally by the end of 2024, Nio Capital said.
(Image from ClearMotion website)
Nio Capital-backed US advanced suspension startup ClearMotion has begun construction of its first global factory in China, hoping to set the stage for its future North American and European plants.
Construction of ClearMotion's first production plant began August 16 in Changshu, Jiangsu province in eastern China, Nio Capital announced yesterday.
Nio Capital has continued to back ClearMotion this year with a new round of funding after leading an investment in the company last year, the venture capital firm said, adding that it also backed the startup throughout the signing process for the construction of the Changshu plant.
(Image credit: Nio Capital)
ClearMotion is a Boston-based startup that aims to make car rides less bumpy, according to its website.
ClearMotion1 (CM1) is ClearMotion's high-performance active suspension technology that reduces motion sickness and improves ride comfort and safety by eliminating wobbles in the car that disrupt the driving experience.
On September 8, 2022, Nio Capital announced that it led a $39 million financing round for ClearMotion.
ClearMotion's plant in Changshu is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2024 and begin delivering products in the fourth quarter, Nio Capital said yesterday.
The facility will be a multi-functional production center for volume production, prototyping, integrated hardware and software testing and product quality analysis, including more than 7,000 square meters of production area and 2,000 square meters of research and development area, with a design capacity of 1.5 million products per year.
The Changshu plant will lay the groundwork for ClearMotion to begin delivering the CM1 in 2024 and will help the company move its products from R&D to mass production.
ClearMotion currently has volume production orders from an electric vehicle (EV) maker and is expected to begin deliveries globally by the end of 2024, Nio Capital said, without disclosing the name of the EV maker.
CM1 is active suspension technology that reduces the impact of interior shaking on the driving experience and improves passenger comfort. The product can reduce unwanted vibrations by 75 percent, according to the Nio Capital press release.
Establishing a facility in Changshu will help strengthen ClearMotion's partnerships with existing automotive customers and explore new opportunities in China's fast-growing automotive industry, said Tobias Kummer, the startup's vice president of global operations.
The Changshu plant will provide ClearMotion with efficient, sustainable and standardized mass production conditions, and also set an example for its future North American and European plants, according to the press release from Nio Capital.
NIO Capital leads latest funding round in US-based suspension startup ClearMotion
