Windrose Technology, an electric truck startup aiming to rival the Tesla Semi, is currently under scrutiny due to multiple allegations of financial mismanagement and operational issues. The company, which is Chinese-owned and headquartered in Belgium, reportedly delivered its first electric truck in late 2024 and claims to have 36 trucks operating globally. Despite having raised approximately $400 million and boasting orders from Norway, Chile, and Australia, Windrose is facing serious accusations from former employees regarding unpaid wages and benefits.
Former employees Travis Waite and Harold Keller, who were fired in January, claim they are owed a combined $91,000 and have refused to help locate one of the company's $285,000 trucks until paid. The truck reportedly went missing earlier this year, and as of July, it remains unaccounted for. Additionally, Michigan labor regulators ordered Windrose to pay nearly $10,000 in back wages and interest after complaints of repeatedly delayed payroll. The company's first North American operations boss, Jason Gies, was awarded $413,000 by a US judge after being fired for demanding unpaid wages.
Beyond financial discrepancies, Windrose has also attracted the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). At least two of the four Windrose trucks in the US have Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) indicating they were made in Georgia, despite being built in China. The CEO, Wen Han, attributes this to a former employee, but such a discrepancy could result in a civil penalty of almost $28,000 for each violation. These issues, coupled with Han's admission of hiring "too quickly and too aggressively," cast significant doubt on the company's stated ambition to go public later this year through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company.
