A Vernon company that makes street-legal golf carts is moving into a bigger manufacturing plant in Spallumcheen
Simolo Customs Ltd. has bought a 42,000-square-foot facility in the Spallumcheen Industrial Park.
Simolo is the only approved Canadian manufacturer of low-speed electric vehicles (LSVs) 鈥 and the company needs more room to match the growing popularity of the vehicles.
鈥淚t乌鸦传媒 the next major step in the growth of our company,鈥 said Marketing and IT manager Devon Crull in a phone interview.
Simolo currently operates out of a plant on Greenhow Road. The company will start moving to the new facility this fall with full operations planned for early 2026.
鈥淭he extra space is going to be needed immediately,鈥 said Crull.
Simolo produces about 100 cars a year and employs about 17 people. 鈥淲e have been limited by the size of our building,鈥 the manager said.
LSVs are growing category in the United States: 鈥淭hey must meet specific safety criteria鈥攕eat belts, headlights, turn signals, and speed-limiting capabilities鈥攁nd are often approved for use on public roads up to 35 mph,鈥 the company said in a news release.
Approval in Canada is harder to get. 鈥淲e鈥檙e Canada乌鸦传媒 only street-legal LSV manufacturer,鈥 Crull said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to be the only manufacturer in Canada聽approved by Transport Canada to apply the National Safety Mark to our LSVs. It乌鸦传媒 a symbol of rigorous engineering, detailed documentation, and full compliance with federal vehicle safety standards,鈥 the press release said.
Simolo vehicles can be found on golf courses, of course, and in resort communities. It乌鸦传媒 the only non-club-owned cart allowed on the Vernon Golf and Country Club links, Crull said.
HeyYa Rentals offers Simolo vehicles for rent in Vancouver and Victoria. Purolator uses them in some urban areas.
The new plant location 鈥減rovides easy access for both inbound materials and outbound vehicle shipments,鈥 the press release said. 鈥淲ith dedicated bays, high ceilings, and ample room for future expansion, the new headquarters will centralize SC乌鸦传媒 operations under one roof: from design and fabrication to assembly, quality control, and fulfillment.鈥
The purchase also demonstrates a long-term commitment to manufacturing in Canada, the company said.
鈥淎s other brands look overseas, we鈥檙e doubling down on building here at home,鈥 said Jeff Holomis, founder and CEO, in a statement.
Canada乌鸦传媒 tariff and trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump is so far working in Simolo乌鸦传媒 favour as wannabe buyers are looking north of the border, said Crull.
鈥淎ctually it乌鸦传媒 been more positive than anything. A lot of clients and customers are coming to us because we鈥檙e Canadian made. There aren鈥檛 tariffs when they鈥檙e buying the vehicles.鈥
Simolo was established in 2010. Last year, the province recognized Simolo with funding from its BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund to help expand its facility and buy new equipment.