Over a year ago, British startup Tevva Motors Ltd – which had already raised millions of dollars in funding on the strength of its 7.5 tonne prototype electric truck – announced plans to merge with an American company called ElectraMeccanica. It was an unlikely match: ElectraMeccanica had launched a single product, a battery-powered three-wheeler, which had to be recalled due to numerous technical faults. Following the merger, the new company, called ‘Tevva Inc’, would begin with a cash balance between USD70-80m, debts of USD26m, and two facilities on either side of the Atlantic. It was apparently a marriage of convenience: a means to recapitalise Tevva’s business and enter the American market; and when the deal collapsed, the declaration of bankruptcy, which came six months later, seemed as inevitable as the change of seasons.

The administrators (ReSolve Advisory Ltd) announced that after this failure, the majority of the staff have been made redundant as the company prepares for an asset auction.

ReSolve Advisory Ltd has been appointed as administrator as the company searches for interested partners and investors.

In a statement dated 29 November, Tevva announced that both parties have “mutually determined that it is in their best interests to privately and amicably resolve any legal disputes concerning the merger agreement.”

The British startup manufacturer of electric trucks has issued a repudiation of ElectraMeccanica’s allegations and has announced its intention to take legal action.

The American manufacturer also stated its intention to “explore all legal recourse available” in connection with Tevva’s alleged breaches of the agreement.

The merger with ElectraMeccanica, which is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of this year, is being made with the view of combining industrial assets on both sides of the Atlantic and scaling up electric vehicle production for the European and North American markets. 

Tevva says it worked extensively with the ‘Commercial Vehicle Solutions’ (CVS) division of German components group ZF to integrate its electronic braking system (EBS) with the truck.

The organisation has made three recommendations to ensure the successful implementation of hydrogen into the UK transport sector, with the first being, a minimum network of 200 hydrogen refuelling stations by 2030.

The two companies have agreed to a pilot phase during which Ecobat will maintain and repair lithium-ion batteries for Tevva’s customers - with scope to expand the partnership to additional energy storage and battery recycling services.

Tevva stated that it secured type approvals for both the EU and the UK from the Swedish Transport Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency for its 7.5-tonne battery-electric truck.

The two-day session saw a scale model of the 7.5-tonne Tevva truck facing winds of up to 80 mph, providing data on how airflow might affect the vehicle’s range and performance.