SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
“But of course, without PEM’s help, we
wouldn’t have been able to build the prototype,”
he adds.
While Dovas cites affordable living and
real estate as initial motivators to locate in
Sacramento, he also believes the region isprime
for other automotive innovators and
startups like his own.
In addition to the area’s proximity to
investors in the Bay Area, Dovas says the
greater Sacramento region has more readily
available mechanical engineers, but
also niche developers necessary for his
company.
“Sacramento has a lot of technology
and a lot of skills, but we also use ‘exotic
materials,’ and some of the companies
that provide these very specialized components
are also in the greater Sacramento
area,” says Dovas, citing Auburn-based
PRe Plastics as one such company with
which Highlands Powers operates closely.
Furthermore, says Dovas, investors
are ready to help fund an innovation hub
similar to PEM here in Sacramento — to be
named the Center of Excellence for Future
Mobility.
“We presented the concept to the
Greater Sacramento Economic Council
board of directors last year,” says Dovas. “I
personally brought them investors willing
to put [in] close to $90 million,” but adds
that nothing has come from those initial
meetings.
Still, with $44 million currently being
invested to improve Sacramento’s ZEV infrastructure,
and with delegates energized
from the September trip to Germany, Sacramento
seems poised to take the steering
wheel and navigate toward the future of
mobility in the region, perhaps even establishing
itself as an automotive hub, the
electric version of Detroit.
If anything, Supervisor Serna believes
Sacramento is now in a position to make
such a move, that “looking back perhaps
20, 25 years to the day when Sacramento
had the choice to pivot and capitalize on
this industry, we’ll say this was the moment
we decided to … clean our air, diversify
our economy, build jobs.”
And Lemus agrees.
“I’ve been in the industry for a while,
and we’ve been talking about when the
electric big rigs get here, and when the
electric vans get here, and we’ve been
talking about this in theory, but now it’s
[all] starting to hit at once.” •
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Jordan Venema is a California-based writer
that enjoys gin and teaching himself dead
languages. He received a master’s of liberal
arts from St. John’s College, but swears he’s
learned more from his precocious son, Cassian,
than he ever did from a book.
Valley Communications, Inc.
CONNECTING BUSINESS WITH TECHNOLOGY
Security
Since 1983, Valley Communications, Inc. has been at the forefront of many of
the major projects in our region. Recently, we have provided our technology
services to Golden 1 Center, Kimpton Sawyer Hotel, Dignity Health as well
as Science II and University Union at CSUS. We look forward to the future
developments, like the new O Street Office Building, and the opportunity to
deliver the latest technologically advanced solutions that enable our customers
to efficiently operate in today’s demanding marketplace.
As we wrap up our 35 th year, we’d like to send out a special thank you to
our customers and industry partners for their support over the years. We also
realize that this milestone was made possible by the continued dedication and
commitment of our staff in delivering our services.
6921 Roseville Road Sacramento, CA 95842 | 916.349.7300
[email protected] | www.valley-com.com | LIC# 806644
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December 2018 | comstocksmag.com 89