Guide to Lordstown Motors EVs: Models, Cost, Availability, and Range
Once a star on the rise, this EV startup is flirting with collapse.
Lordstown Motors
Article QuickTakes:
What Is Lordstown Motors?
Founded in 2019, Lordstown Motors looked promising, quickly purchasing GM’s Lordstown, Ohio, plant with the intention of building the world’s first-to-market, commercial, electric pickup, the Endurance. Now—three years, one pandemic, and several executives later—the aspiring automaker has yet to produce a single truck and had to sell its factory to contract manufacturer Foxconn to stay afloat.
Its foray into the stock market under the ticker symbol RIDE—enabled by a merger with special-purpose acquisition company DiamondPeak Holdings—hasn’t gone to plan, either. A prototype fire and undisclosed production hurdles have caused many to question when, if ever, the Endurance will be ready for prime time. Several company leaders and GM have sold off some (or all) of their shares, which isn’t a great look. The recent Foxconn deal restored some investor confidence, but Lordstown has a long way to go to become a viable automaker.
What Kinds of Cars Does Lordstown Make?
If it can weather the storm, Lordstown hopes to start production on its long-awaited, 250-mile, 600-hp Endurance electric truck late this year. Initially, the full-size pickup will come in crew-cab form with a 5.5-foot bed and boast a tow rating of up to 7,500 pounds. What makes the Endurance special is its powertrain: A hub motor in each of the wheels supplies four-wheel drive. Lordstown claims this design, with few moving parts, will make maintenance a breeze and, in turn, keep the cost of ownership down.
Lordstown Motors
How Much Will a Lordstown Cost?
Lordstown unveiled the Endurance in June, 2020, advertising a pre-incentive price of $52,500 and a delivery estimate of mid-year, 2021. Anyone interested was able to put down a $100 refundable deposit to save their place in line. Whether the company can stick to that price when it couldn’t meet its deadline—or raise enough capital to build the truck without selling its assembly plant—we don’t know.
When Will I Be Able to Buy a Lordstown Endurance?
Possibly never. The company is refunding deposits to individuals as it focuses on the commercial market. And assuming Lordstown can come up with the money and acquire the regulatory approvals it needs to build the vehicle—both unknowns at this point—it’s unclear how much demand exists for the electric truck. The number and nature of reservations for the Endurance is murky and even led to the resignation of the first CEO, Steve Burns. The company has also lowered its first full-year production goal from 32,000 units to a mere 3,000, with only 500 trucks expected to come off the line in 2022.
If the Endurance makes it to production, contractors and other business owners may be able to get their hands on one, although Lordstown will likely prioritize large fleet orders. For private individuals, your best hope may be waiting for Lordstown trucks to hit the used vehicle market many years from now. All that’s to say, you’ll need a lot of endurance to hold out for an Endurance.
