Nikola announced Michael Lohscheller will step down as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Nikola Corporation effectively immediately and as a member of the board of directors effective as of Aug. 31. Steve Girsky, chairman of the board since September 2020, has been named CEO of Nikola.

Nikola said Lohscheller’s key accomplishments include driving sales momentum of the battery-electric truck, doubling retail sales from Q1 to Q2 2023; supporting the launch of the Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric truck and generating customer demand; further advancing the organization’s production capabilities in Coolidge, Ariz.; substantially reducing the cash burn by more than 30% from Q1 to Q2 2023 through re-focusing the business; and concentrating on the core North American marketplace, as well as creating a new global hydrogen energy brand, HYLA.

“I feel privileged and honored 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,” Lohscheller said.