Business View Civil & Municipal | July 2022

122 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 “One of the objectives is to create a stretch of I-81 that would be an electric and autonomous real-world testbed for electric mobility and autonomy in the commercial vehicle sector,” Sweet says. “The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) is the number two automotive research institute in the country, so we already have amazing assets right here. As for Volvo, their largest truck manufacturing plant in the world is situated right here in Pulaski County. Mack Truck is now manufacturing their new line of medium-duty trucks just up I-81 in Roanoke. We also have TROVA Commercial Vehicle now working on building a light-duty electric truck to complete the circuit. The region has a lot going on in this space! A goal is ultimately to better connect these assets, to make the region internationally known as the electric and autonomous commercial vehicle manufacturing and R&D capital of the world.” PREFERRED VENDORS/PARTNERS n Thee Draper Village www.draperisfordreamers.com Explore Thee Draper Village - enjoy lunch at The Village Coffee Shoppe, browse an array of specialty shops, plan your next event in the historic Village Chapel, rent bikes and ride along the scenic New River Trail, and wind down in a beautiful vacation home with New River Retreat. n Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce www.pulaskivachamber.org | info@pulaskivachamber.org