This week I’m taking a look at an EV startup that wasn’t on my radar, but thanks to a new EV Rider subscriber it is now. Thanks Spencer.
Mullen Automotive is a California startup that’s working on bringing the Five crossover to market as its first EV. At the time of this story’s posting the Five was being shown off in several cities during a U.S. Test Drive Tour.
It features an estimated 325 miles of range and an estimated 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds. Mullen expects to begin production of the Five in the fourth quarter of 2023 and begin deliveries in the second quarter of 2024.
To help get there Mullen announced in October it was moving forward with a $240 million purchase of bankrupt Electric Last Miles Solutions, which is also known as ELMS.
The deal gets Mullen a plant to build up to 50,000 EVs annually in Mishawaka, Indiana. That’s in addition to its factory in Tunica, Mississippi.
ELMS assets include:
- All Intellectual Property, including all manufacturing data that is required for the assembly of the Class 1 van and Class 3 Cab Chassis.
- All inventory including finished and unfinished vehicles, part modules, component parts, raw materials, and tooling.
- All property including equipment, machinery, supplies, computer hardware, software, communication equipment, data networks and all other data storage.
That acquisition follows Mullen acquiring a 60% controlling interest in Bollinger Motors, which is a Michigan-based EV commercial truck startup.
Back to the Five, the highest spec RS version will have 1,000 horsepower and a 0-to-60 time of under two seconds. Assuming it makes it to production, that would put the Five RS into the same performance league as Tesla’s Model S Plaid.
Mullen is working on a next-generation battery that it claims will have five times the density of today’s batteries.
“The most common lithium-ion battery used in electric vehicles is NCM, which uses nickel, cobalt and magnesium, which is pretty harmful for the environment and hard to mine and rare on Earth. LFP, which Mullen wants to use, is far better, lasts longer and this will allow us to incorporate that into our battery design and again help the environment in ways that other electric vehicle companies aren’t doing,” said Mullen Battery System Engineer April Soares.
Mullen Automotive says the Five will DC fast charge from 0 to 80% in 21 minutes, delivering 260 miles of range.
The Five had its world debut at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, where it was announced it would come with a 95 kWh battery pack.
Mullen CEO David Michery talked about launch plans in LA. “At launch it will have three available configurations. Our volume model will be the Mullen Five EV. Our touring model will seat four. It will be sportier and sexier. The third model will be a more intense model of the Five, branded the RS.” He said it would include weight saving materials and more performance. “How about an even better 0-60? How about 1.9 seconds. How about a top speed of over 200 miles an hour. Talk about making the impossible, possible, right?”
Mullen Automotive is listed on the NASDAQ and was trading in penny stock territory at the time of this video’s posting.
The company is accepting $100 refundable reservations for the Mullen Five.
As with any start up that hasn’t actually produced any vehicles yet, keep in mind that ordering a Mullen Five does require a leap of faith.
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