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With production of the Endurance electric pickup truck stalled due to the recall, Lordstown Motors appears to be moving on to a next-generation vehicle platform developed in close collaboration with Foxconn.
The next platform is “a bigger part of our company’s focus,” said the Lordstown 2022 fourth quarter financial results presentation, adding that the next Lordstown vehicle “will likely get key components and subsystems” from Foxconn, and will likely be built on the same premises. Ohio Factory as Endurance.
Lordstown bought the plant, located in the company’s namesake town, from General Motors after the automaker closed it. But in 2022 they signed a deal to sell the factory to Foxconn, which would in turn manufacture the Endurance under contract. Next-generation EV platforms are also part of the deal, with Foxconn expected to use them for some of its own vehicles.
Lordstown Endurance
Endurance production began late last year under that arrangement, but Lordstown recently halted production ahead of a still-running recall. It has since been clarified that the recall was caused by a potentially damaged high voltage cable connecting the inverter and motor. This could lead to a loss of power, and prevent the truck from restarting after it has been shut down, according to the recall notice.
The recall only affects 19 trucks, some of which have reached customers, representing about half of the vehicles built so far. In his presentation, Lordstown said that up to February around 40 trucks had been completed or were in the process of being assembled.
“We have sold a total of six vehicles, from our initial planned batch of up to 500 units,” the company said. Lordstown had previously set a target of delivering 50 vehicles for 2022, with 500 for 2023.
Lordstown Endurance
On a conference call with analysts, Lordstown “reiterated doubts in its ability to continue as a going concern,” Reuters reported Monday. CFO Adam Knoll reportedly told analysts over the phone that the company is seeking “more” capital to develop its next EV.
A shift away from the Endurance platform is likely unavoidable, should there be any major changes to the company’s original plans. Previous Lordstown CEO Steve Burns suggested to Green Car Reports and others that shipping consumer and personal use products was part of the plan on the Endurance platform. But the company took a detour from those plans with his departure, after a scandal in which the company inflated the number of confirmed orders.
Whether Lordstown survives or not, the Ohio factory must stay busy. Other plans for the plant include Fisker Pear and Indi One electric cars, as well as self-driving electric tractors.
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