Seres (automobiles)
Seres (formerly called SF Motors) is an electric vehicle and component manufacturer headquartered in Santa Clara, California. The company, which is a subsidiary of Chongqing Sokon Industry Group, has established several R&D facilities and is in the process of designing and producing a U.S.-based, electric vehicle line. The company has delayed launching a US product and laid off hundreds of workers, including 90 people at its design studio. The company is partnering with a number of automotive and tech suppliers. Manufacturing/R&D facilities. Seres was founded as SF Motors in Santa Clara, California in January 2016 as a  company focused on producing electric vehicles. In early 2017, SF Motors’ parent company, Sokon Industry Group, was granted production permits from the Chinese government to produce electric vehicles. The company has established seven R&D facilities in four countries, including the U.S., China and Germany, with Japan coming online soon. Along with establishing an R&D center in the Ann Arbor area in Michigan; Seres is also partnering with the University of Michigan’s Mcity innovation center, which is dedicated to leading the transformation to connected and automated vehicles. SF Motors hosted its first University of Michigan-Sokon Autonomous Driving Seminar in  August 2017. All of Seres’ R&D facilities will focus on intelligent e-powertrain technology, vehicle engineering, intelligent driving systems, next-generation battery technology and lightweight designs. In 2017, SF Motors completed the acquisition of the AM General Commercial Assembly Plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, making it the only electric vehicle company at the time to have manufacturing facilities in both the U.S. and China. It will be the first manufacturing plant in the U.S. that is wholly owned by SF Motors. The acquisition includes retaining about 430 employees at the facility who previously helped build vehicles for both Mercedes-Benz and  Hummer. Headquarters. In order to secure a space for its leaders, teams and prospective employees, the company recruited design firm AAI to build out its Santa Clara, California headquarters, which opened in March 2017. The four-story building can accommodate more than 200 people. The building has a garage with EV charging stations.