3/30/23 UPDATE: Zero Motorcycles has announced a deal with IMI to assemble Zero Motorcycles’ EVs and other motorcycle sub-assemblies in IMI’s facility located in Laguna, Philippines. This work will be done in conjunction with the manufacturing facilities for Zero located in Scotts Valley, CA. Read the story.
2/22/23 EARLIER STORY: Zero has unveiled its SR-X concept, but the unveiling’s timing raises questions about where it would be built should a version of the concept make it into production.
California-based Zero Motorcycles is laying off 10% of its global workforce, including the entire assembly line, according to KNTV NBC Bay Area, which cited an unnamed source during its 5pm newscast on February 8.
EV Rider reached out to Zero Motorcycles for confirmation. Zero Director of Communications Dan Quick declined to confirm the NBC station’s report but he did not dispute its accuracy.
EV Rider asked in a variety of ways whether Zero’s California EV motorcycle production would continue, either at Scotts Valley, CA; or by moving to another city, state or country.
Quick responded by giving EV Rider the following statement:
“As part of our recent raise of $167 million (USD) and our long-term plans, Zero is reconfiguring our business to fuel our future product and technology strategy and to improve our efficiency and profitability. As a part of that reconfiguration, roughly 10% of our global full-time workforce is being impacted.”
When asked again in a second email to elaborate and confirm whether California motorcycle production would continue, Quick responded by writing, “I won’t be able to add any further information.”
EV Rider has independently confirmed that among the workers laid off is Zero’s Director of Supply Chain Management and New Product Introduction. That laid off employee also declined to speak with EV Rider about the layoffs or what they might mean for Zero’s future.
In another move, Zero announced the promotion of recent hire Alex Acket on February 16 to Chief Operating Officer.
Acket previously worked at EV startup Canoo as the Senior Vice President of Purchasing and Program Management as well as the Vice President of Purchasing and Supply Chain. Acket left Canoo in 2022. He’s previously worked at Faurecia, which is a French automotive tech company and Valeo, which is a French motor vehicle parts manufacturing company.
“There are only a handful of companies that have had the opportunity to impact the history of human mobility in the way that Zero currently can,” said Acket in a news release, adding, “I’m thrilled to be able to align my expertise with my passions at such an exciting moment for Zero Motorcycles and transportation in general.”
Zero CEO Sam Paschel, echoed Zero’s statement to EV Rider in announcing Acket’s promotion. “In conjunction with our recent raise of $167MM USD and in light of our recent partnership announcements, Zero is promoting Alex Acket to the role of COO and reconfiguring our business for greater efficiency and profitability,” Paschel said.
Zero has released several new models over the past few years, with the most recent being the DSR/X adventure EV motorcycle. Now, Zero is introducing the SR-X concept, which was put together by Bill Webb and HUGE Design. Zero says the SR-X concept points the way forward for its internal design teams. Webb also inspired Zero’s FXE production motorcycle.
Zero delivered nearly 300 motorcycles to the G20 Summit in November and in September Zero announced it had secured a new $107 million round of financing, with a big chunk of that money coming from Polaris.
While Zero doesn’t release production numbers it did say recently it has built more than 20,000 EV motorcycles and noted here in the U.S. more than 240 agencies use Zeros. The Scotts Valley, CA-based EV motorcycle brand operates in more than 40 countries.
In 2020, Zero signed what it called a 10-year exclusive EV development partnership with Polaris to help Polaris develop electric off-road vehicles and snowmobiles.
Polaris also makes Indian motorcycles and the Slingshot autocycle and previously bought the Brammo electric motorcycle brand but EVs were discontinued when Polaris shut down its Victory motorcycle brand.
EV Rider has been unable to ascertain what KNTV’s report of the entire assembly line being laid off will ultimately mean, whether that might result in moving production to a different location, an acquisition or something else.
As a privately held company Zero has no obligation to publicly comment on its future plans, but given Zero is not disputing KNTV’s report it would seem to indicate a major change.
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