With the announcement of a series of updates and notable milestones, Lordstown Motors Corp. appears to be on track to begin production of the Lordstown Endurance this year. “We are hard at work in the factory preparing to begin beta builds in the coming weeks,” said Steve Burns, CEO of Lordstown Motors in a statement. “With this step on the horizon, we remain on track to meet our September start-of-production timeline while continuing to see indicators of strong demand for an all-wheel drive, full-size electric pickup truck with 250 miles of range from commercial, government and military fleets.”
It’s current accomplishments include initiating the metal stamping and welding for the first 57 Endurance beta prototypes and expects to complete the first beta vehicles on schedule in March. The beta series prototypes will be used for crash, engineering and validation testing. The company also expects some of these vehicles may be sent to some initial customers for their feedback. The Endurance has already achieved a 5-Star crash test rating via software crash simulation.
In a significant step for the battery-based EV manufacturer, Lordstown also signed a multi-year supplier agreement with LG Energy Solution, a global leader in battery cell technology, broadening its high-quality, diverse battery cell supply chain. In terms of service, Lordstown is looking beyond company owned service centers, including reviewing plans to utilize Camping World’s extensive footprint and service expertise to ensure nationwide coverage for all Lordstown vehicles.
The company has also been added to the U.S. General Services Administration listing, the first step towards being able to sell to government fleets. With this step complete, the company has started its outreach to state and local government entities, including the U.S. Military. The company believes these markets represent a significant opportunity for the Endurance and follow-on products.
Construction continues on an 800,000 square foot propulsion renovation at Lordstown Motors’ 6.2 million square foot Ohio headquarters. Completion of the first stage of the previously announced facility, which will house production lines for advanced battery packs and hub motors, is expected in time for the planned start of production of the Endurance in 2021. When completed, Lordstown Motors expects the facility to be one of the largest of its kind in the United States.
Lastly, with plans to increase headcount to upwards of 1,000 by the end of 2021, Lordstown currently has 343 full-time employees including 171 at its Ohio headquarters, 131 engineers at the satellite research and development center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, 18 remote workers and 23 at the service center in Irvine, California.
