ElectraMeccanica (NASDAQ:SOLO) Vehicles Corp, a designer and manufacturer of electric vehicles, said it has appointed its current Chief Operating Officer Kevin Pavlov to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.
In his new role, Pavlov will continue to oversee operational growth as ElectraMeccanica ramps up commercial production with a focus on enhancing profitability and efficiency.
In addition to the position, Pavlov will also join ElectraMeccanica’s board of directors.
READ: ElectraMeccanica to start delivering its flagship SOLO electric vehicle to customers in October
The new CEO has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive sector with an extensive skill set covering large global corporations, private board experience, government affairs, mergers & acquisitions and relevant experience with start-up companies.
Pavlov joined ElectraMeccanica in May 2021, prior to that he served as the COO and Director of Karma Automotive where he achieved significant cost reductions and avoidances through process improvements.
The auto exec has held several senior management roles in his career, most notably at Fortune 500 company Magna International (TSX:MG), where he held several key positions through his time there, including: COO of its E-Car Joint Venture, Global President and General Manager of Magna Electronics, and Executive Vice President of Magna’s Services, Ventures, and Innovation Group (LSE:TIG) reporting directly to the CEO & Founder of Magna.
“Today, I announce that I am formally stepping down as CEO of ElectraMeccanica,” said outgoing CEO Paul Rivera in a statement.
Rivera continued: “Since joining the company, it's been my absolute passion to help transform an idea for affordable individualized transport from concept to reality. Now that ElectraMeccanica has started construction on its new US assembly facility and will begin delivering vehicles to its first customers, the company is poised for success and ready to build upon the foundation of the SOLO Ecosystem.”
The company’s flagship vehicle is the innovative, purpose-built, single-seat EV called the SOLO. Designed with three-wheels SOLO promises to revolutionize the urban driving experience, including commuting, delivery and shared mobility.
“ElectraMeccanica has the opportunity to play a critical role in changing how we interact with the world around us, effecting positive societal and environmental change,” Pavlov said. “At this moment, we are entering a critical inflection point in our company’s maturation from a formerly developmental stage start up to a scaled production enterprise.”
The new CEO went on to say: “With customer deliveries on the way, a growing list of potential fleet partners, and construction on our U.S. facility moving full speed ahead, we have several major milestones before us, and I believe ElectraMeccanica’s best days remain on the horizon. I appreciate and accept the responsibility that comes with taking on the CEO title, and I will be committed to working on behalf of our shareholders and the board to lead this company into the future.”
Contact the writer at georgia@proactiveinvestors.com
Follow her on Twitter @MissInformd