A massive capital injection from Mullen Automotive is the savior of these rugged EVs.
Bollinger, an American automobile manufacturer of electric SUVs and medium-duty vehicles, first started making a splash in 2019 when the production versions of its B1 SUV and B2 pickup were revealed. At the time, these blandly styled but super rugged vehicles were intended to give the elusive Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T headaches. But at the start of this year, Bollinger told us it would be shifting its focus to its commercial business completely, dashing our hopes for the B1 and B2. But we're happy to report that these EVs aren't dead following the announcement that Mullen Automotive Inc. acquired a controlling interest in Bollinger valued at $148.2 million. The two companies will combine resources as they look to enter the electric truck segment.
Mullen, one of several promising new EV companies, has acquired stock in Bollinger of 60%, giving it majority ownership. This represents Mullen's first EV acquisition and will see it compete in medium duty truck classes 3-6. Crucially, it means that the B1 and B2 will not be relegated to the scrap heap as previously thought. Together, these vehicles have amassed close to 50,000 reservations, and with the capital injection from Mullen, "both B1 and B2 programs will begin after the start of production for class 3-6 commercial truck programs."
"I am really impressed with what Robert Bollinger has created for the commercial vehicle space and the off-road capable B1 and B2 sport utility vehicles," said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive. "We believe they have the potential to turn the sector on its head, similar to what the Hummer H1 did over 30 years ago."
Mullen's own performance EV, the Five luxury crossover, promises 325 miles of range, a 3.2-second 0-60 mph time, and an appealing base price of around $55,000. Sales of the Five are expected to begin later in 2024, but with its acquisition of Bollinger, a lot more will be happening between now and then.
Bollinger will now be able to push forward the delivery of its class 4 electric trucks to 2023. Known as the B4, this electric chassis cab can be adapted for various uses and maximum cargo space.
In case you forgot, the Bollinger B1 - the first-ever class 3 electric sport utility truck - has a dual-motor electric powertrain generating 614 horsepower and 668 lb-ft of torque, along with 113 cubic feet of cargo space. It has some very impressive off-roading specs with 15 inches of ground clearance and front/rear locking differentials.
The B2 has the same powertrain and can transport cargo measuring 16 feet in length. Both vehicles are not luxurious but the removable door and roof panels will make them perfect for outdoor adventures. However, they had a poor claimed range of 200 miles, although this may change now that Mullen has entered the picture with its superior battery tech.
"This acquisition is one of the largest in the EV industry to date and provides Mullen with a unique opportunity to aggressively expand into the high-demand commercial EV space," said Michery. "Bollinger will be able to leverage Mullen's solid-state technology, making their current vehicles even more competitive as our technology launches across the total portfolio of EVs from both Mullen and Bollinger."
With the class 4 commercial truck coming first in 2023, the B1 and B2 are unlikely to arrive before 2024, but that's no bad thing for two exciting vehicles that we thought we wouldn't see at all.
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Automobili Pininfarina
Bentley
BMW
Bollinger
BrightDrop
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
Fiat
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Gordon Murray Automotive
Hennessey
Honda
Hyundai
Ineos Automotive
Infiniti
Jaguar
Jeep
Karma
Kia
Koenigsegg
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lordstown
Lotus
Lucid Motors
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
Mini
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Pagani
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rimac
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Spyker
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
Join The Discussion