Nikola stated on Wednesday it had filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety and would pursue a sale of its belongings, the newest electric-vehicle maker to stumble after grappling with tepid demand, speedy money burn and funding challenges.
The event ends a difficult journey, which included a number of management adjustments, plummeting share values and short-seller allegations.
EV startups that went public throughout the pandemic, promising to revolutionize the sector, corresponding to Fisker, Proterra and Lordstown Motors have filed for chapter lately as funding for his or her capital-intensive operations dried up resulting from excessive rates of interest and flagging demand.
Nikola’s shares plunged 54% as of 8 a.m. Wednesday earlier than common buying and selling in New York. The inventory misplaced 97% of its worth over the previous 12 months by Tuesday.
The corporate has been on a tumultuous journey because it went public in 2020 by a take care of a particular objective acquisition firm, with its inventory surging in its early days. Shortly after, Bloomberg Information reported that founder Trevor Milton had overstated the potential of Nikola’s debut truck. These allegations, coupled with a subsequent short-seller marketing campaign focusing on the corporate, led to Milton’s ouster and later conviction on fraud costs.
In recent times, the corporate has endured cash-flow points, sluggish demand and government turnover. Nikola additionally recalled its battery-electric vans after battery fires in 2023 prompted it to quickly halt gross sales.
Chief Govt Officer Steve Girsky, a former Morgan Stanley analyst and Basic Motors Co. government, had been main a latest effort to boost cash or discover strategic options, Bloomberg reported.