Envirotech Hires 7 to Help Scale Production

Electric vehicle maker Envirotech Vehicles Inc. of Osceola (Nasdaq: EVTV) announced it hired seven people, including a facilities and operations manager, to ramp up production capacity and ensure timely deliveries to customers.

The expansion comes after Envirotech landed a 200-vehicle order, its biggest ever, in March from Texas-based startup PlugD.

“Their expertise and dedication will be instrumental in helping us achieve our goals of scaling production and enhancing customer satisfaction,” CEO Phillip Oldridge said in a news release. “This expansion reflects our commitment to meeting the rising demand for electric vehicles and contributing to a greener future.”

The hires include:

• Zakir Khan, facilities and operations manager. Khan is an experienced aeronautical engineer who transitioned from a career in aviation to electric vehicle development. His aviation expertise spans designing jet trainers and fighters, setting up production facilities, and overseeing all phases of aircraft development. After retiring from aviation, Zakir embarked on a new path, joining a team developing electric buses to reduce carbon emissions.
• David Kirlin, regional service manager. Kirlin has been building and servicing hybrid and electric heavy-duty vehicles since 1999. He has performed full implementation of electric components and conversions to hybrid, fuel cell, and electric vehicles. Envirotech said Kirlin has worked for some of the top EV manufacturers and government transit agencies to facilitate their electric vehicle programs, fleet maintenance, and vehicle performance for revenue service.
• BJ Tracy, director of logistics. Tracy comes to Envirotech with 20-plus years of experience in operations and process improvements. His experience includes overseeing daily operations and maintaining and improving safety protocols.
• Fahad Khan, business analyst. Khan is a project management professional with over 15 years of experience. Envirotech said he excels at understanding business needs, evaluating options, and recommending optimal solutions. He also has strong product management, data analytics and cost reduction skills.

In addition to those four hires, two other new hires will serve as electric vehicle technicians and one will serve in the logistics department.

Envirotech reported a $4.5 million loss in the first quarter, wider than the $2.3 million loss the company reported in the same period in 2023. The company has yet to report a profitable quarter.