Nikola Motor is getting a new CEO and a new Chairman of the Board. Michael Lohscheller, who held both positions since the beginning of the year, is stepping down due to personal reasons.
The move is effective immediately, though Lohscheller “will remain at Nikola in an advisory capacity through the end of September to support a seamless transition”. He will be succeeded by Steve Girsky as CEO and Steve Shindler as Chairman of the Board.
According to a company announcement, Lohscheller decided to step down due to a family health matter. He will also return to Europe, Nikola Motor writes. “I feel privileged and honoured to have served as Nikola’s CEO and to have worked with so many inspiring colleagues who are relentlessly focused on advancing Nikola’s position as a leader in zero-emissions transportation. I am incredibly confident in Nikola’s future,” says Lohscheller.
Lohscheller took the job on 1 January 2023, after he joined the electric manufacturer in February 2022. The manager previously served as Opel (Vauxhall) CEO and briefly led the Vietnamese automotive startup VinFast. At Nikola Motor, Lohscheller is credited with doubling retail sales from the first to second quarter of 2023, supporting the launch of the Nikola Tre FCEV, and “substantially reducing the cash burn by more than 30% from Q1 to Q2 2023”.
