Early Lordstown Motors Investor Workhorse Group Sold Most of Stake in Startup

Electric delivery truck maker Workhorse Group Inc. said Monday it sold down much of its stake in Lordstown Motor Corp. this summer, reducing its equity position in the embattled Ohio-based startup.

Workhorse, in a company filing, said it had sold 11.9 million shares in Lordstown Motors since July 1, reducing its 9% stake by nearly three-quarters. Workhorse, also based in Ohio, was an early investor in Lordstown Motors, which was established in 2019 by Workhorse founder and former chief executive Steve Burns, an entrepreneur who had previously begun tech and marketing companies.

The divestiture comes ahead of Lordstown Motors’ planned electric-truck launch in September. The startup is cash-strapped and trying to raise additional capital to ensure its survival.

Starting production of Lordstrown Motors’ debut pickup truck, the Endurance, is a crucial target for the startup, which went public last fall through a reverse merger with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC.

In recent months, the company has been rocked by numerous challenges, including federal investigations into its business practices, and the exit of Mr. Burns.