US Car Startup Canoo Faces Trouble: Layoffs Followed by Forced Unpaid Leave for Remaining Employees
TechCrunch disclosed an internal email from US-based electric vehicle startup Canoo today, stating that the remaining employees have been placed on mandatory unpaid leave, which will last until the end of this year.
According to the email, employees will be locked out of Canoo's systems after work ends on Friday, with this "benefit" continuing until the end of December.
This email was sent shortly after Canoo announced that due to a shortage of funds, the company would lay off nearly 100 employees and temporarily halt operations, closing its assembly plant in Oklahoma. The exact number of remaining employees after the layoffs has not been disclosed. The company and CEO Tony Aquila did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
Canoo has had a tumultuous year. The company recently closed its Los Angeles office, which served as its headquarters, and there has been frequent turnover among senior management, with key positions such as Chief Technology Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and General Counsel becoming vacant. In mid-November, the company's financial situation was revealed, showing that its bank account balance was only $700,000 (approximately 5.108 million yuan), facing a severe financial crisis.
