Exclusive: FUELL announces bankruptcy, offers ‘cold comfort’ to stranded e-bike customers
FUELL Inc., the electric bicycle and e-motorcycle startup built largely on the name of the legendary motorcycle visionary Erik Buell, has entered into chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.
For some time now, I’ve been attempting to chase down answers from the electric bicycle maker FUELL regarding the company’s failure to deliver on its popular Flluid-2 and Flluid-3 e-bike launch and the company’s seemingly incommunicado status. After wading through bounced-back emails from apparently terminated marketing staff, I finally got an answer in the form of a reply to a direct inquiry to the company’s CEO, Francois-Xavier Terny.
However, that reply didn’t come from Terny himself, but rather the lawyer who I learned is now representing FUELL in its new bankruptcy proceedings, which were filed yesterday.
Below is the text of the letter I received.
October 17, 2024
To the creditors of Fuell Inc,
I am currently representing Fuell Inc. in a chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on October 16, 2024 as case #24-25492. A trustee has been appointed to liquidate the assets of the Company. All creditors will be advised to file claims in that proceeding as it appears that there may be assets for payment of unsecured claims after all of the secured claims are paid or otherwise dealt with. A copy of the Notice of the Case is posted nearby.
Management regrets the Company has been forced to take this path. Unfortunately, the Company lacks funds to pay for the labor costs and other required services necessary to assemble and ship products to its customers, and additional funds could not be raised to pay the Company’s outstanding current liabilities or to pay for the assembly and shipment of pre-ordered electric bicycles. I hasten to add that the Company has on hand what it believes to be the parts necessary for the assembly of the bulk of, if not all of the pre-ordered electric bicycles.
After consultation, management has determined that a promptly filed chapter 7 was the best way to provide value for the significant assets held by the Company including, but not limited to, a purchase from the bankruptcy trustee of substantially all of the assets of Fuell Inc. by an interested party who may subsequently, with effort and negotiations, potentially restart the operations and move forward. Obviously, this is the route preferred by management, but it is complicated and fraught with risk. Any creditor or interested party that has such an interest should be contemplating retaining experienced bankruptcy counsel to negotiate with the Trustee for such a purchase.
As the Company has little to no funds, and no employees, it is unable to directly answer creditors’ questions concerning specific orders. Creditors may direct questions to the Trustee who will be apprised of the situation. Since there are no employees at the Company to respond to questions at this time, current inquiries to the company will go unanswered.
All known creditors will receive the notice of the bankruptcy filing and advised to file claims. If you have placed a deposit for the purchase of a product, your claim may be entitled to priority to an extent. You may want to consult with a lawyer on this issue.
Great effort is being made to provide enough information in the bankruptcy schedules so that there is at least a possibility that a potential purchaser of the assets may be able to restart the Company or otherwise redeploy the assets to produce the product intended. Current equity will lose everything that is been invested in the company through this chapter 7 bankruptcy filing.
We trust that this information may be of some cold comfort to you as a creditor of the Company and will certainly give you an idea of what you can expect in the immediate future. As indicated above, you will be notified of the bankruptcy filing as a creditor or other interested party.
If you have an interest in purchasing the assets through the bankruptcy process or know of anyone who may have such an interest, you may contact the Trustee or the undersigned to discuss potential avenues to accomplish that.
Sincerely,
PAULG. SWANSON
Attorney at Law
The deadline for claims to be submitted has been set for December 26, 2024, as described in a notice that accompanied the above letter from Fuell’s lawyer.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a legal process in the United States that allows individuals or businesses to eliminate most of their unsecured debts by liquidating non-exempt assets. A court-appointed trustee oversees the sale of these assets, and the proceeds are used to pay off creditors. It’s often referred to as “liquidation bankruptcy” because assets are sold off to settle debts.
In this case, the trustee for FUELL’s bankruptcy is Titania D. Whitten of Whitten Law Offices in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
FUELL Inc. was founded in 2019 as a novel electric bicycle and motorcycle company, quickly gaining momentum after is unveiling of high-performance, innovative electric bikes designed for urban commuting. Founded by Erik Buell, a legendary figure in the motorcycle industry, FUELL focused on combining sleek design, advanced technology, and sustainability in its electric mobility offerings.
The company’s first electric bicycle model, the Flluid-1, was widely deemed a success, but controversy swirled around FUELL’s Flluid-2 and Flluid-3 models, which raised over US $1.5M in crowdfunding through an Indiegogo campaign but failed to deliver at scale.
Not long after the campaign ended, I had the chance to test ride one of several early production Flluid-3 electric bikes at Eurobike 2023. At the time, the bike worked quite well and promised a refined commuter experience. However, the company explained that the Valeo internally geared mid-drive motor was a sticking point in production, requiring further custom modifications and slowing down production.
A steady stream of updates slowed to a trickle over the next year and eventually stopped entirely, leading many to worry that the project had been abandoned or that the company was headed for bankruptcy.
Several other high-profile e-bike company bankruptcies added fuel to the fire, with yesterday’s announcement finally bringing closure to the question, though certainly not to the hundreds of customers likely never to receive their FUELL Flluid electric bicycles.
With just over two months left for creditors to make a claim in the bankruptcy filing, hopefully those customers will be able to recover some or all of their money.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
On today’s educational episode of Quick Charge, Ford Pro cross vehicle brand manager Nate McDonald is here to tell us about a new fleet management tool that can help give fleets a better answer to that modern question: When is the right time to electrify?
If you have a commercial fleet and are interested in transitioning some or all your vehicles to EVs, how and when is the right time to do it? That’s the question that Ford wants to help its commercial customers answer with a new tool from Ford Pro called E-Switch Assist.
E-Switch Assist is a complimentary software offering that takes telematic data from existing gas- and diesel-powered Ford F-150 and Transit models and trackes each vehicle’s individual energy use to determine if it’s a good candidate for replacement with an EV.
The results? After evaluating over 38,000 commercial vehicles in pilot programs, the E-Switch Assist tool revealed that nearly 53% of all commercial ICE-powered Ford F-150 and Transit vehicles are either “Highly Likely Eligible” or “Likely/Potentially Eligible” to switch to electric power without disrupting the business based on their current usage.
“Smart tools informed by data like E-Switch Assist are opening up many new conversations with our commercial customers large and small about EV readiness; we’re already using E-Switch Assist regularly in consultations to help organizations determine if electric trucks and vans are right for them,” said Nate McDonald, EV strategy and cross vehicle brand manager at Ford Pro. “The importance of these tools and technologies goes beyond selling a customer a new vehicle—it changes mindsets about whether electric vehicles will work for their business while potentially saving them time and money.”
Nate McDonald is joining us on today’s show to help walk us through it. Enjoy!
Source Links
Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!
Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Lexus is giving you a massive new incentive to try out its all-electric luxury SUV. Through a new deal this month, Lexus is offering up to nearly $22,000 in lease cash on 2024 RZ models.
The Lexus RZ 450e, the luxury brand’s first electric vehicle, went on sale in 2022. Lexus launched a new RZ 300e model with more range and a lower starting price this year.
Starting at $55,175, the 2024 Lexus RZ 300e Premium offers up to an estimated 266 miles range. The RZ 450e, equipped with its dual-motor (AWD) DIRECT4 system, gets up to 196 miles range.
Although it’s built on the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, Lexus added its signature design elements and improved the ride quality. Lexus engineers added in-cabin-sounds, a high-output eAxle, and paddle shifters to make your morning commute a little more enjoyable.
Lexus based the interior on the minimalistic concept of Tazuna, the Japanese word for reins of a horse. In other words, Lexus looks to give drivers more of a connection with their vehicles.
A 14″ standard touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support) is at the center of an otherwise minimalistic setup.
Lexus offers massive lease offer on RZ electric SUV
With a new incentive this month, Lexus is offering up to $21,850 in lease cash on the 2024 RZ electric SUV.
According to online car research firm CarsDirect, the 2024 Lexus RZ 300e Premium is available at just $299 for 36 months, with $0 due at signing.
The monthly payment is offered at such a low price because Lexus is factoring in the $21,850 in lease cash. This offer is good until November 4th and is advertised in the Denver area. In other parts of the US, Lexus is still offering up to $18,500 in lease cash.
| 2024 Lexus RZ trim | MSRP (*including $1,150 delivery fee) |
| RZ 300e Premium FWD w/ 18″ Wheel | $55,175 |
| RZ 300e Premium FWD w/ 20″ Wheel | $56,390 |
| RZ 300e Luxury FWD | $60,905 |
| RZ 450e Premium AWD w/ 18″ Wheel | $59,875 |
| RZ 450e Premium FWD w/ 20″ Wheel | $61,090 |
| RZ 450e Luxury AWD | $65,605 |
Lexus sold 8,381 RZ models in the US through September, up 233% from last year. Toyota, the luxury brand’s parent company, has sold 13,577 bZ4X models in the US so far this year.
Toyota is also offering significant incentives for its electric SUV. The 2024 Toyota bZ4X is one of the best EV lease deals in October at just $239 for 36 months. With $2,999 due at signing, the effective cost is $322 per month.
Are you ready to drive off in your new electric SUV? We can help you score deals near you today. Check out our links below to find great deals on the Lexus RZ and Toyota bZ4X at a dealer near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports12 months agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway