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Vermont microcar maker Ross Feed tells senators it can produce five cars a year but needs regulatory and workforce support
Summary
Representatives of Ross Feed described a low‑volume car manufacturing effort, said they can reach about five cars per year, and asked state senators for help with workforce, supply‑chain costs and state rules that make VIN issuance and small‑manufacturer approvals difficult.
Representatives of Ross Feed appeared before the Senate Transportation Committee to describe their low‑volume car manufacturing work in Vermont and to ask for state support on regulatory and workforce issues.
Scott Ra, a representative of Ross Feed, said the company was started about seven years ago and is now near low‑volume production, with capacity projected at about five cars a year. "We really don't know how many we're gonna be able to produce a year, but we're pretty ultra low manufacturing. So it'll probably be 5 cars a year," Scott Ra said. He added that most early customers are collectors and that only a small number of the cars would likely remain in Vermont.
Ross Feed's presenters described manufacturing hurdles: recruiting qualified workers in Vermont, rising raw‑material costs and state regulatory processes for vehicle identification numbers (VINs). The group said the shop currently employs roughly six people and that scaling would require a larger facility and additional talent.
The company said it has met with General Motors officials and was told the vehicle is "different enough" from existing models; Ross Feed said GM representatives tested the car and gave what Ross Feed described as a positive assessment. "They pretty much gave us a blessing on the car," a Ross Feed representative said. (The company attributed the meeting and the assessment to a General Motors executive.)
Ross Feed described increases in material costs that have raised production prices: the presenters said a specific aluminum block used in a rear‑end component cost about $260 when they began and is now about $900. They also said recruiting engineers and manufacturing talent from outside Vermont has been necessary; one hiring effort generated 60 applicants in a few days but few from in‑state.
Company representatives asked senators to consider state programs other states use to help low‑volume vehicle manufacturers obtain VINs and compliance pathways. Senators suggested Ross Feed contact Vermont manufacturer support services and the economic development committee; one senator said states such as Utah, Nevada and Montana have more permissive or tailored processes for low‑volume or replica vehicle producers.
Ross Feed emphasized a desire to source most materials in the U.S. and to keep manufacturing local where feasible. The presenters said the business model has been self‑funded so far and that they are exploring places to expand when demand and funding allow.
The committee did not take any formal votes on the testimony. Senators said they would follow up with information about in‑state manufacturing supports and potential regulatory changes that could ease low‑volume vehicle production.
