It seems like Lightning could turn it around with some transparency. They claim to hold all these records for production electric bikes but never demonstrate that they are production bikes. Like if a record is legit, just say how many bikes you have produced instead of Hatfield's smoke and mirrors and shell games about all the happy lightning owners that only post on the "real" owners forum. Posting pics of bikes with no plates pretending to be one of the many that are out in the wild at a charger. Sometimes posting certificates of origin and calling it a title. Moving production to the broom closet in the back of Corbin's shop doesn't help sell the idea that they are making more than 2 or 3, "temp spec" bikes a year.
I mean even Nikola trucks is recovering from the "rolling the model down the hill" scandal by coming clean.
I would love to support a struggling disruptor as consumers always benefit from competition, but don't cash my check and lie about what you're (not) producing) with it. I have a lot of friends here in the bay area in startups in all kinds of sectors. Everyone recognizes when a CEO plays by Skully's play book. Lightning, Damon, even Verge a little bit, all look like they are vapor ware venture capital mills.