Electric Truck Startup Windrose Faces Missing Paychecks and Truck Claims

Windrose Technology, a Chinese-European electric truck manufacturer that set out to challenge Tesla (TSLA) in the long-haul heavy-duty electric truck market, is currently facing significant scrutiny. Recent allegations from former employees regarding unpaid wages, a report of a missing truck, and broader financial woes are raising serious questions about the company's operational sustainability and future prospects.

Kyle Maki, the company's former Director of Customer Success and Operations, claimed in an August 2025 LinkedIn post that Windrose was 90 days behind on payroll and out of money. More recently, former senior tech resource manager Harold Keller is claiming $63,000 in unpaid wages and benefits, while former employee Travis Waite is seeking approximately $29,500. Furthermore, Jason Gies, the former head of North American operations, won a federal lawsuit for $412,500 in unpaid severance after being terminated. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity also ordered Windrose to pay Kyle Maki over $9,700 in back wages and interest.

Windrose CEO Wen Han has disputed these allegations, stating that the company is not facing financial difficulties and attributing payroll delays to administrative challenges related to a change in payroll partners. Han explained that Windrose is legally a Belgian company with most of its capital held in China, which complicated US wage payments. However, former employees allege that the team has been working from a trailer after losing access to a proper office, and that vehicle cabs were stuck at the Port of Los Angeles due to unpaid bills. Adding to the complexity, Han claims one $285,000 truck is missing, while former employees Waite and Keller reportedly refused to help locate the vehicle until their alleged unpaid wages were settled.

This situation underscores the critical importance of operational and financial transparency for electric vehicle (EV) startups in a challenging market. Windrose launched its R700 model, positioned as a direct competitor to the Tesla Semi, in the US market in March 2026, priced at $300,000. While the company stated its aim for profitability despite import tariffs of up to 70%, the former employees' claims highlight the high capital requirements and scaling difficulties inherent in the sector. Windrose had reportedly raised approximately $400 million, primarily from Chinese investors, to date.

Industry analysts suggest that such payment and operational issues are indicative of the inherent risks in early-stage EV companies and their reliance on continuous capital injections. It has also emerged that Windrose's plans for a California assembly plant were delayed due to employment disputes and an alleged dispute with the landlord over unpaid rent. The company reportedly aims to go public in the US this year through a SPAC merger at an enterprise value of at least $2 billion, seeking to raise over $200 million through the deal.

However, achieving these ambitious goals will require Windrose to transparently resolve its financial allegations, demonstrate operational reliability, and rebuild investor confidence. CEO Wen Han's acknowledgment that the company “nearly died” last year but resolved issues by raising funds from truck sales, reveals the company's financial fragility. As competition in the electric truck market intensifies, whether Windrose can overcome these significant hurdles and continue its trajectory remains to be seen.