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Lecar Targets Inactive Factory in Jacareí and Plans Billion-Dollar Investment in Flex-Electric Hybrid Vehicles with Ethanol as Competitive Differentiator. Project Includes Innovation Center and Resumption of Production with Two Unique Models in the Country.
Lecar, a Brazilian automaker focused on electric traction vehicles with combustion generator, announced interest in taking over the Jacareí (SP) factory that belonged to Caoa Chery and has been inactive since 2022.
This supposed negotiation has been circulating in recent weeks, but the investment amount was revealed by the column Radar Econômico, from the magazine Veja, this Thursday (04).
If the process moves forward, the company plans to invest R$ 600 million in partnership with the InvestSP program to reactivate the unit and produce long-range flex hybrid models.
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Jacareí Factory Has Been Stopped Since 2022
The Jacareí unit has remained inactive since Caoa Chery’s departure over three years ago.
During this time, the city hall has studied alternatives for the use of the space and has signaled the possibility of putting it up for auction, a move that could pave the way for a new manufacturer to arrive.
The location attracts Lecar’s attention for already having installed infrastructure and strategic location in the São Paulo interior, factors that reduce the time needed to resume production.
Despite the interest, the outcome still depends on the public authorities’ decision regarding the sale of the property and negotiations involving the current ownership.
Investment and Announced Counterparties
If the operation is confirmed, Lecar promises to invest R$ 600 million along with InvestSP.
Among the counterparties, the creation of an Innovation and Technology Center and research and development units dedicated to automotive engineering, system development, electrical engineering, trials, and testing are planned.
The goal is to establish a validation base for components and hybrid systems in the country.
However, the realization of the investment depends on formalizing terms with the city hall, compliance with state incentives, and defining timelines for implementing production.
Hybrid Models Planned for Production
The automaker considers the space suitable for manufacturing the Lecar 459 and the double cab pickup Campo.
Both will have a flex-electric hybrid architecture, where traction is always electric, while the flex combustion engine acts solely as a generator.
According to the company, this solution guarantees up to 1,000 km of range, eliminating the need for charging at a socket.
In addition to assembling the vehicles, the operation is expected to cover the integration of batteries, calibration of energy management software, and component traceability processes, common requirements in hybrid production lines.
Strategic Advantages of the Region
The Jacareí complex offers proximity to the São Paulo capital, access to the Paraíba Valley, and connection with engineering hubs.
The region also has trained labor, reflecting the previous presence of the automotive industry and technical schools that supply the market.
For the city hall, reactivating the factory would mean job creation, renewed tax revenue, and strengthening the local economy.
Ethanol as a Technological Differentiator
Choosing ethanol as the fuel for the flex generator aligns the project with the agenda of energy transition.
This resource, abundant in Brazil, can reduce emissions compared to gasoline and make operations more cost-competitive.
The proposed hybrid technology also allows for independence from the public charging network, a challenge for pure electric vehicles in the country.
This design requires specific testing and calibrations, especially regarding the engine’s operation with different ethanol and gasoline mixtures, as well as thermal management and battery durability.
Necessary Steps for Resumption of Production
Despite positive indications, important definitions are still lacking. The municipality must formalize the auction model or another means of property disposition.
Next, it will be necessary to detail production commitments and company counterparties.
Lecar, for its part, will need to validate prototypes, approve suppliers, and prepare the assembly line to begin serial production.
The expectation is that, with the legal solution underway, the automaker will advance in localizing parts and training workers, aiming to establish a network for after-sales and technical support for its hybrid models.
Impact on the Automotive Industry
If the operation is confirmed, suppliers of batteries, electrical systems, and embedded electronics could benefit.
Educational institutions and regional research centers should also be involved in training programs.
Furthermore, the use of ethanol creates opportunities for integration with the sugar-energy sector, strengthening the link between the automotive industry and agribusiness.
With Lecar’s proposal under negotiation and the auction being considered by the city hall, what will weigh more in the decision regarding the resumption of production in Jacareí: the speed of the administrative process or the automaker’s capacity to structure the operation in the short term?
LECAR É GOLPE GRANDE! NUNCA Produziram NADA, SEUS VEICULOS SAO IMAGENS DE I.A.
Assim é fácil fazer matérias, um monte de baboseira sem sentido e sem o menor fundo de verdade. Essa fábrica de Jacareí vai ser utilizada pela Geely que é a nova parceira da Caoa.
Acho que byd em Camaçari vai seguir o mesmo rumo se o pt sair do poder Ja que no Brasil não tem gasolina de qualidade os carros convencionais a gasolina darão muito problema devido, 30 %de álcool quer dizer metanol com água na gasolina , forçando as pessoas comprar carros elétricos sem ao menos pesquisar
Se as usinas elétricas suportaram no mínimo 1milhão de carros elétricos que e a realidade do poder de compra nacional pq as montadoras não estão vendendo para a classe média, a maioria são vendidos a locadoras e empresas,e uma parcela para classe média Alta o restante está no mercado de usados, tá quase impossível comprar um carro zero as financeiras estão pedindo 75%do valor do veículo isso até mesmo num semi novo.
Gasolina já era, etanol é melhor para o veículo como um todo, consumo LT/R$ , manutenção e desgaste do motor menores, mais potencia.