Bollinger Motors: Another EV Startup Bites the Dust After a Decade of High Hopes and Empty Promises

TL;DR: Bollinger Motors, the rugged electric truck startup that promised so much, officially shut its doors after ten years of battling financial setbacks, lawsuits, and unpaid employees. It's a tough lesson that even the coolest concepts need solid funding and execution to make it in the cutthroat EV market.

Meta: After a decade of turbulent promises, Bollinger Motors, once a promising Michigan EV startup, has officially shut down following years of financial woes, lawsuits, and missed payrolls, marking the end of its rugged electric truck dreams.

Man, the EV market is like Hollywood: full of dreams, big budgets, and sometimes, a whole lot of heartbreak. Bollinger Motors? They just got the boot. After ten years of trying to bring their tough-looking electric trucks to market, the Michigan startup officially closed its doors on November 21st. Internal emails confirmed it, and let's just say, the vibe was less "red carpet premiere" and more "final curtain call." Employees hadn't been paid for two cycles, lawsuits were piling up, and the money well just ran dry. Another one bites the dust, folks.

Bollinger started strong back in 2015, grabbing eyeballs with their boxy, military-inspired B1 SUV and B2 pickup. These things looked like they could drive through a brick wall and then ask for seconds. But at over $120,000 a pop, they were aiming for a niche that proved harder to crack than a safe full of diamonds. Despite all the buzz, neither vehicle ever actually saw the light of production. It's like having a killer movie script but no studio to back it.

A Pivot That Couldn’t Save the Ship

In 2022, Mullen Automotive swooped in, bought a controlling stake, and tried to steer the company towards commercial EVs, which seemed like a smart pivot. They even started developing the B4 Class 4 electric chassis cab. There was a little glimmer of hope with a production run in 2024, but that financial black cloud just wouldn't quit. Founder Robert Bollinger even sued the company over a $10 million loan, claiming they were broke. The loan eventually got repaid, but suppliers were still knocking on the door, demanding over $5 million in overdue payments.

And the State of Michigan? They weren't too happy either. Bollinger was supposed to create jobs to earn a $3 million economic development grant, but as of September 30th, they had zero qualified new jobs and only 50 employees, way short of their promises. It’s a classic tale: big dreams, not enough green to keep the engine running. While the entity responsible for the B4, Bollinger Motors, is gone, Mullen CEO David Michery restructured part of it under "Bollinger Innovations." Guess we'll see if that's a sequel or just a spin-off that never airs.

What’s Next

While Bollinger Motors as we knew it is history, the assets and any surviving technology under "Bollinger Innovations" might find a new life, potentially integrated into Mullen's existing commercial EV plans. This shutdown is a stark reminder of the financial tightrope EV startups walk, especially those aiming for high-priced, niche segments. It underscores the intense capital demands and execution challenges in bringing new vehicles to market, even with compelling designs.

So, another one for the history books. It's tough out there, and sometimes, even the most bad-ass electric trucks can't outrun the bill collectors. That's show business, baby, and the EV world is just as cutthroat! Catch you on the flip side.