JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Transportation Authority and German autonomous vehicle manufacturer Holon signed two agreements on Monday establishing a new autonomous vehicle manufacturing facility to be built in Jacksonville.
One was the lease agreement for the manufacturing facility, and the other was for Holon’s administrative office inside the JTA’s building.
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“Holon’s decision to choose Jacksonville is not just a vote of confidence in our city’s business environment; it is a clear recognition of our shared vision for a smart, safer and more connected world,” JTA CEO Nathaniel Ford said.
We told you back in April when JTA’s board approved the purchase of 100 new autonomous shuttles from Holon.
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JTA confirmed Monday that 14 have already been ordered while the remaining 86 still need to be ordered and authorized by the board at a later date. Ford said the agreement is a big deal for the city.
“This is much more than a facility, it’s a bold step into the future,” Ford said.
Holon’s CFO Clemens Rengier said Jacksonville’s location provides the company with a strategic advantage.
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“With robust highway infrastructure, strong rail connections and a world class port, the city gives us the ability to ship vehicles globally and efficiently manage our operations,” Rengier said.
Holon said it expects to deliver their first shuttles by the end of 2027 to Jacksonville.
Coming up next week, JTA is set to answer tough questions from Duval DOGE about the Ultimate Urban Circulator, the expansion of JTA’s autonomous vehicles project that would eventually remodel the Skyway.
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