Mullen to expand to Europe with electric delivery vehicle

US American electric car startup Mullen plans to begin selling a vehicle in Europe later this year. The Mullen I-GO is a small electric car manufactured in China that the company says will be used primarily for last-mile logistics.

Mullen says in the release that the I-GO is homologated to EU standards and “ready for sale in the UK, Germany, Spain, France and Ireland.” The first vehicles for Germany are scheduled for December 2022. The starting price for the small electric car is said to be – unusually for the planned sales in Europe – $11,999 net (currently 12,168 euros). Value-added tax and local transportation will still be added to this price.

However, there is not much data on the Mullen I-GO. The wheelbase of the small delivery van is said to be 2.44 meters (original specification: 96 inches). The battery is specified at 16.5 kWh, and the output of the electric motor placed on the rear axle is not known. With its weight of 795 kilograms, the vehicle is expected to have an NEDC range of 200 kilometres; a WLTP value is not mentioned in the announcement, nor is the payload or cargo volume.

According to Mullen, the company believes that there is a high demand for market-ready urban delivery vehicles in Europe. As a result, the company said it has taken the opportunity to “extend its branding and marketing reach to the European market through its partnership with the manufacturers of the I-GO.” Mullen states that it has secured exclusive sales, distribution and brand rights for the I-GO.

Even though Mullen holds the rights, there is not yet a distribution network in the countries. To this end, the company is in licensing negotiations with potential partners. There are no further details on this yet. “The introduction of the I-GO, a fully EU homologated vehicle, creates opportunities for the Company in Europe where there is a huge demand for this type of small delivery vehicle,” says Mullen CEO David Michery.

Mullen has been in the headlines recently for acquiring both Bollinger Motors and ELMS in a short period of time – without having delivered any of its own vehicles yet. The company has had a troubled history and has come under attack from short-seller Hindenburg Research with accusations of alleged misstatements about large orders and the state of development of its battery technology.

mullenusa.com