Electric truck manufacturer Bollinger Motors faces financial troubles
This decision was made after it became known that Bollinger Motors was no longer able to fulfil its financial obligations. Employees were no longer receiving their salaries, rents remained unpaid, and suppliers were also waiting in vain for outstanding payments.
Bollinger Motors, based in Oak Park, Michigan, near the automotive metropolis of Detroit, was once a beacon of hope in the emerging market for electric commercial vehicles in the USA. Founded with the aim of building robust, emission-free vehicles for commercial customers, the company had developed the all-electric B1 and B2 models (SUV and pickup) as well as the B4, an electric truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 7.2 tonnes. As early as 2022, the company decided to focus solely on commercial vehicles and thus on the B4.
Production was halted in January 2025 when the company was no longer allowed to use its production facility at Roush Enterprises, due to unpaid invoices totalling USD 1.8 million. The financial situation had already been deteriorating for months. Founder Robert Bollinger, who sold the majority of his shares in Mullen Automotive, filed a lawsuit after a loan of 10 million US dollars was not repaid. Bollinger accused the current management, especially Mullen, of leading the company into crisis. The lawsuit reveals that Bollinger Motors has had no clear strategic leadership since the takeover and that promises have not been kept.
Problems with marketing and sales
The product situation also paints a sobering picture: although around USD 5 million worth of vehicles are in stock, there is a lack of sales and marketing. Moreover, production can only be resumed if outstanding invoices are paid and new investors are found, as reported by Detroit News. Current attempts to do business with potential customers or strategic partners have not yet yielded any results.
Despite the dramatic situation, some of those in charge at the company are still fighting back. They emphasise that Bollinger Motors remains committed to its vehicles and hopes to return to production soon. The receivership procedure is intended to help stabilise the company, pay off creditors and possibly attract new investors. A final decision on the future of Bollinger Motors is likely to be made in the coming weeks.
Several other electric truck companies faced bankruptcy
The case of Bollinger Motors illustrates how challenging the market for electric commercial vehicles in the USA remains, especially for smaller, young companies. The electric truck startup Nikola recently went bankrupt, and its factory was auctioned off to the electric car manufacturer Lucid. Although demand for emission-free alternatives in the transport sector is growing, competition from established manufacturers, high development costs and economic uncertainties are putting start-ups like Bollinger under a lot of pressure. There are similar challenges in Europe, where the electric truck startups Volta Trucks, Tevva and Quantron recently went bankrupt. At least Quantron is now trying to make a fresh start under founder Andreas Heller, who bought back the company shares.
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