Nikola's Arizona facilities purchased by Lucid for $30 million dollars.
Lucid Motors Expands Presence in Arizona with Nikola Acquisition
Lucid Motors, the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer known for its Air luxury sedan and recently launched Gravity SUV, has expanded its operations in Arizona by acquiring Nikola Corporation's factory in Coolidge, Arizona, in April 2025.
The acquisition, which cost approximately $30 million, allows Lucid to employ around 300 former Nikola employees, bringing valuable industry experience to the company. The facilities, encompassing over 884,000 square feet, have become a new research and development hub for Lucid, supporting advanced manufacturing, product innovation, and component testing.
The facilities, which include a former manufacturing facility in Coolidge and a former headquarters and product development center in Phoenix, come equipped with high-value development tools such as battery and environmental testing chambers, a full-size chassis dynamometer, and precision machining equipment.
Lucid plans to use this facility to build pilot production vehicles, including the first prototypes of a midsize SUV platform expected to be priced under $50,000, with production targeted around late 2026. This acquisition is expected to help accelerate Lucid's vehicle portfolio expansion and innovation capacity.
It is important to note that Nikola's hydrogen fuel cell assets, including trucks, intellectual property, and other infrastructure, were acquired separately by Hyroad Energy, not Lucid Motors, as part of Nikola’s bankruptcy auction.
Nikola was able to continue operations but ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2025. The acquisition by Lucid follows a competitive bidding process, with Lucid winning the bid in the April 10 court-run auction, beating out multiple unnamed bidders for the Arizona assets.
Objections to the sale may still be filed, and a hearing scheduled for April 11 will determine final approval. Lucid's Interim CEO, Marc Winterhoff, stated that the acquisition is an opportunity to expand manufacturing, warehousing, testing, and development facilities.
The acquired facilities do not include the Casa Grande facility, where Lucid currently produces the Air luxury sedan and recently launched the Gravity SUV.
In a related development, Lucid's founder Trevor Milton was sentenced to four years in prison before being controversially pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump last month. Despite this, Lucid Motors continues to move forward, expanding its operations and pushing the boundaries of EV technology.
[1] Lucid Motors Acquires Nikola Corporation's Factory in Coolidge, Arizona. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.lucidmotors.com/news/lucid-motors-acquires-nikola-corporation-s-factory-in-coolidge-arizona
[2] Lucid Motors Expands Manufacturing and Development Infrastructure with Nikola Acquisition. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.autonews.com/electric-vehicles/lucid-motors-expands-manufacturing-development-infrastructure-nikola-acquisition
[3] Lucid Motors Wins Bid for Nikola Corporation's Bankruptcy Auction. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lucid-motors-wins-bid-nikola-corporations-bankruptcy-auction-2025-04-10/
[4] Lucid Motors to Build Midsize SUVs at Nikola Factory in Arizona. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/12/lucid-motors-to-build-midsize-suvs-at-nikola-factory-in-arizona.html
[5] Hyroad Energy Acquires Nikola's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Assets. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1135190_hyroad-energy-acquires-nikolas-hydrogen-fuel-cell-assets
- Lucid Motors' foray into the energy sector has been amplified with the acquisition of Nikola Corporation's factory in Coolidge, Arizona, which will aid in product innovation and component testing, particularly for the development of their midsize SUV platform anticipated to be priced under $50,000.
- Going forward, the technology sector will witness the intersection of finance and business as Lucid Motors plans to utilize the Nikola facilities in Arizona for advanced manufacturing and pilot production, aiming to accelerate vehicle portfolio expansion and innovation capacity.
- In the realm of sports and industry competition, Lucid Motors emerged victorious in the bidding process for Nikola Corporation's assets, outbidding several other unnamed bidders, and taking a significant stride in the electric vehicle industry landscape.