Lordstown Motors announced it started production of the Endurance at the Foxconn Ohio plant, with the first two vehicles rolling off the production line and a third one following shortly. Those are part of the initial batch of 500 vehicles, following homologation testing and certification processes that are already underway.
Lordstown hopes to deliver 50 units to customers in 2022, and the remaining 450 from the first batch are expected to be delivered in the first half of 2023. Edward Hightower, Lordstown CEO and President, admitted the slow rate of production as they “address remaining part pedigree and part availability issues”. However, he expects production to ramp up in November and December.
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The company currently continues testing and is finalizing the software updates before the first examples are delivered to their owners. Crash testing has been completed, while EPA and CARB applications have been submitted. Lordstown hopes to end this quarter with $195 million worth of cash and cash equivalents, and continues exploring capital raising alternatives including strategic partnerships.
The Lordstown Endurance was originally introduced in June 2020. The market launch was initially planned for 2021, but due to material shortages and funding issues, it was delayed until 2022. The final production version of the pickup was exhibited a few weeks ago at the Detroit Auto Show, being among the semifinalists for the 2023 North American Truck of the Year.
The Lordstown Endurance promises a 200-mile (322 km) EPA estimated range thanks to its 109 kWh battery. According to the latest announcement, the quad electric motors have a combined output of 550 hp (405 kW / 558 PS) which is less than the initial estimate of 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS). Rival models include the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Rivian R1T, and an array of electric trucks that will soon reach the market.