Simolo Customs Ltd. of Vernon, British Columbia, has bought a 42,000-square-foot facility in the Spallumcheen Industrial Park to produce street-legal golf carts. Simolo is the only approved Canadian manufacturer of low-speed electric vehicles (LSVs) — and the company needs more room to match the growing popularity of the vehicles, reports The Kelowna Courier. The company will start moving to the new facility this fall with full operations planned for early 2026.
“The extra space is going to be needed immediately,” said Marketing and IT Manager Devon Crull. Simolo produces about 100 cars a year and employs about 17 people. “We have been limited by the size of our building,” the manager said.
LSVs are growing category in the United States: “They must meet specific safety criteria—seat belts, headlights, turn signals, and speed-limiting capabilities—and are often approved for use on public roads up to 35 mph,” the company said in a news release.
Approval in Canada is harder to get. “We’re Canada’s only street-legal LSV manufacturer,” Crull said.
“We’re proud to be the only manufacturer in Canada approved by Transport Canada to apply the National Safety Mark to our LSVs. It’s a symbol of rigorous engineering, detailed documentation, and full compliance with federal vehicle safety standards,” the press release said.
Simolo vehicles can be found on golf courses, of course, and in resort communities. It’s the only non-club-owned cart allowed on the Vernon Golf and Country Club links, Crull said.
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.