SEC Charges Hydrogen Vehicle Co. Hyzon Motors and Two Former Executives for Misleading Investors

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled fraud charges against Hyzon Motors Inc., an upstate New York-based company that builds hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), for misleading investors about its business relationships and vehicle sales before and after a July 2021 merger with a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. The SEC also charged Craig M. Knight, Hyzon’s former CEO, and Max C.B. Holthausen, former managing director of Hyzon’s European subsidiary, for their roles in the fraudulent scheme.

According to the SEC’s complaint, Hyzon misrepresented the status of its business dealings with potential customers and suppliers to create the false appearance that significant sales transactions were imminent. The complaint alleges that Hyzon also falsely stated that it had delivered its first FCEV in July 2021, even going as far as posting a misleading video of the vehicle purportedly running on hydrogen, when the vehicle was not equipped to operate on hydrogen power. The complaint further alleges that Hyzon later falsely reported that it sold 87 FCEVs in 2021, when in fact it had not sold any vehicles that year. Knight allegedly was responsible for the false statements about Hyzon’s customer and supplier relationships. Holthausen allegedly was responsible for Hyzon’s false statements about delivery of its first FCEV and for Hyzon’s false reporting of certain FCEV sales.

Source: SEC.gov | SEC Charges Hydrogen Vehicle Co. Hyzon Motors and Two Former Executives for Misleading Investors