Arrival Automotive North America appoints Mike Ableson as CEO

Arrival Ltd announced that Mike Ableson will join the organisation as CEO of Arrival Automotive North America and will lead the electric vehicle company’s expansion to this market.

Ableson, GM’s former Vice President of EV Infrastructure and Global Strategy, brings over 35 years of automotive experience and will be reporting directly to CEO of the Arrival Group, Denis Sverdlov. Mike joined on 1 October 2019.

“I am delighted to be welcoming Mike to Arrival – a highly respected automotive veteran. He has unrivalled OEM and mobility startup expertise having been pivotal in bringing vehicles to market around the world and mentoring startups. Mike joins us at an exciting juncture as we begin to emerge from stealth mode and step out onto the global stage. He will be invaluable in realising our ambition of bringing Generation 2.0 Electric Vehicles to the masses and is best placed to bring Arrival to the US market,” said Avinash Rugoobur, Chief Strategy Officer, Arrival Group.

Arrival is creating the world’s first Generation 2.0 electric vehicles – electric vehicles for the same price as petrol and diesel equivalents. The company’s unique approach to using micro-factories facilitates rapid expansion to key areas of demand, starting with the UK and USA.

The company’s autonomous ready platform will start life in the commercial vehicle segment where the rise of e-commerce, predictable routes and overnight depot charging form the perfect combination to help drivers make a seamless switch to EVs. The company is undergoing trials with DHL, UPS, Royal Mail and is partnered with John Lewis Partnership ahead of full scale production in 2021.

Founded in 2015, Arrival is headquartered in the UK, where it has a manufacturing facility in Banbury and an R&D centre in London. Arrival is continually expanding its global footprint, currently employing over 700 people between its offices in the UK, USA, Israel, Russia and Germany.