Lordstown Motors : you’re scrolling through online car auctions and suddenly spot a 440-horsepower electric pickup truck with only 1,600 miles on the odometer. The catch? It’s from a company that no longer exists, and it just sold for $22,750 – roughly what you’d pay for a well-equipped Nissan Versa. Welcome to the fascinating story of the Lordstown Endurance that recently found a new owner through a Bring a Trailer auction.
This isn’t just any ordinary truck sale. This particular Endurance represents one of only 31 units ever built before Lordstown Motors shuttered operations, and reportedly the only one that ever received a proper street-legal title. For anyone following the rollercoaster ride of American electric vehicle startups, this sale represents both a bargain hunting opportunity and a sobering reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the automotive world.
The Company That Almost Was
Lordstown Motors started with big dreams back in 2019. The company purchased a massive 6.2 million square foot former General Motors plant in Ohio with the ambitious goal of creating electric vehicles. Their flagship product, the Endurance, was designed specifically for fleet customers rather than everyday consumers – a smart strategy that differentiated them from the crowded consumer EV market.
The truck itself was genuinely innovative. The Endurance featured four permanent-magnet in-hub electric motors, one mounted directly in each wheel, producing a combined 440 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. This hub-motor design eliminated the need for traditional axles and differentials, potentially reducing maintenance costs and improving reliability – exactly what fleet managers wanted to hear.
What made the Endurance special wasn’t just its powertrain. The truck promised a towing capacity of 8,000 pounds and a driving range of about 200 miles from its 109-kWh battery pack. While 200 miles might seem modest compared to today’s premium electric trucks, it was perfectly adequate for the commercial fleet applications Lordstown was targeting.
The Innovation That Set It Apart
Most people don’t realize how rare in-wheel motors actually are in the automotive world. The Endurance was one of the few production cars ever fitted with this technology, with motors built by specialist company Elaphe. This design choice wasn’t just about being different – it offered real practical benefits for commercial users.
Traditional trucks need complex drivetrains with transmissions, transfer cases, and axles to send power from the engine to the wheels. The Endurance’s approach simplified this entire system dramatically. Each wheel had its own motor, providing precise torque control and eliminating many mechanical components that could break down during heavy commercial use.
The truck’s design reflected its work-focused mission. The interior featured basic but functional gauges and controls, with a simple infotainment screen and redundant hard-button controls for users wearing work gloves. This wasn’t about luxury – it was about getting the job done reliably, day after day.
From Promise to Peril
Unfortunately, innovative engineering couldn’t save Lordstown from the harsh realities of automotive manufacturing. The company faced numerous setbacks, including investigation into inflated preorder numbers, leadership resignations, and chronic funding shortages. Even a partnership with Foxconn, the Taiwanese tech giant famous for manufacturing iPhones, couldn’t provide enough stability to keep operations running.
Production finally began in September 2022, but the company managed to build only 31 vehicles before closing operations. Each truck that rolled off the production line became an instant rarity, representing millions of dollars in development costs and years of engineering work.
The buyer who won this particular auction has an interesting connection to the company’s story. According to reports, the winning bidder was actually a former Lordstown shareholder who viewed owning this truck as a personal victory after being disappointed by the company’s failure. It’s both a collector’s prize and a tangible reminder of what might have been.
What This Sale Really Means
Beyond the novelty of owning automotive history, this sale reveals several important trends in today’s electric vehicle landscape. The dramatic difference between the truck’s original $65,000 price tag and its $22,750 selling price illustrates just how much brand reputation and ongoing support matter in the automotive world.
When you buy a Ford or Tesla, you’re not just buying the vehicle – you’re buying into an entire ecosystem of service centers, parts availability, and ongoing software updates. With Lordstown gone, this Endurance owner faces the challenge of maintaining a vehicle with no factory support, limited parts availability, and technology that may never receive updates.
Yet for the right buyer, these challenges might be worth it. The Endurance offers 440 horsepower, advanced electric drivetrain technology, and the distinction of being one of the rarest trucks on American roads. It’s automotive history that you can actually drive, assuming you can keep it running.
Lessons for the Electric Future
The Lordstown story offers valuable insights as the automotive industry continues its electric transformation. Even with innovative technology and significant financial backing, bringing a new vehicle to market requires enormous resources and flawless execution. Lordstown had partnerships with major companies, government support, and a genuinely differentiated product, yet still couldn’t survive.
This makes the success of companies like Rivian and Tesla even more impressive. They’ve managed to navigate the countless challenges of automotive manufacturing while building sustainable businesses. The electric pickup market that Lordstown hoped to enter is now dominated by established players like Ford with their F-150 Lightning and newcomers like Rivian who managed to reach sustainable production volumes.
For potential buyers of startup EVs, the Lordstown experience highlights the importance of considering long-term support when making purchasing decisions. A great truck on paper becomes much less appealing if you can’t get it serviced or repaired when problems arise.
The lucky owner of this particular Endurance now possesses a unique piece of automotive history – a glimpse into an alternate future where American manufacturing and electric innovation might have taken a different path. Whether it proves to be a prescient investment or an expensive garage ornament will depend largely on their mechanical skills and tolerance for uncertainty.
At $22,750, they certainly didn’t overpay for the privilege of finding out.