US EV-maker patents 800kW SUV in Australia
Mullen says that’s proof the Five will go on sale hereA little-known US electric vehicle maker has filed a series of patents in Australia for an SUV, claiming that as proof it will eventually sell the vehicle here.
South California-based Mullen Automotive has had seven design patents granted in Australia for its Five SUV, which includes an 800kW RS high-performance model that’s claimed to hit 60mph (98km/h) in 1.95 seconds.
A selection of the line drawings filed with the patents are reproduced here including various views of the Five’s exterior, cockpit and details such as an alloy wheel and a moveable sun visor.
The Five was first revealed as a concept at the Los Angeles motor show in November 2021 and is due on sale in the US in 2024.
While tech details are limited, Mullen says the Five is built on a skateboard platform, comes with a 95kWh battery pack, has a 520km range and a top speed of 250km/h.
The launch price of the Five start at $US55,000 (about $A80,000) in North America and refundable reservations are being offered at $US100 ($A145).
The seven patents granted in Australia are among 136 filed globally, including 19 in the USA and 117 internationally.
All up, Mullen has filed patents in 24 countries, including New Zealand and China, as well as Australia in the Asia-Pacific region.
“We fully intend to make the Mullen Five available around the world, and these patents, including filings in 24 international countries, show our intended commitment to do so,” said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive.
No timeline for roll-out of the Five beyond the USA has been given.
The patent applications filed by Mullen are related to the design and styling areas such as exterior and interior design. They include vehicle bodywork, headlights/taillights, doors, mirrors, rims, headliners, seats and steering.
Mullen hasn’t only been working on the Five. It also has a commercial van called the One in the works and is involved with a solid-state battery project.
It is also one of a spate of EV start-ups to generate capital through a reverse merger in recent years.
If you’re a bit sceptical about Mullen Automotive actually delivering the Five to market and getting it on sale in Australia, that’s understandable given the number of start-ups that have announced big plans in recent years and failed to follow through.
The back story goes like this: Michery stablished the business after taking over its predecessor Mullen Motors – a would-be EV sports car market – in 2012.
Related businesses include a chain of used car dealerships in California, a digital car-sales assistant called CarHub, a technology developer and a captive finance arm.
It bought the last remaining examples of the Coda electric sedan made before the company went bankrupt in 2013 and sold them as the Mullen 700e.
In 2019 a joint-venture with China’s Qiantu Motors to bring an electric sports car called the Dragonfly K50 to the USA was announced, with a starting price around $US125,000 ($A175,000).
It’s still “coming soon”, according to the Mullen website.
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