Former Ford, Tesla execs join German electric van maker

The German electric van maker StreetScooter has recruited executives from Tesla and Ford to help drive its international expansion.

Peter Bardenfleth-Hansen, who was part of Tesla's first European Tesla team, and Ulrich Stuhec, join the Streetscooter, have joined the company said in a news release.

Streetscooter is a subsidiary of the German postal company Deutsche Post.

Bardenfleth-Hansen will be chief growth officer and will be responsible for building up StreetScooter's international sales organization

Stuhec will be chief technical officer. He will be responsible for product development, and a new platform and technology development, including autonomous driving.

Stuhec worked for Ford for 17 years and had a leading global role developing Ford's autonomous and electric vehicle technologies. He also worked for BMW and Rover Group before joining Ford. The executive will also be responsible for the China expansion of StreetScooter.

Fabian Schmitt, the current technical chief, will take on a new role in the company.

In September, Streetscooter said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Chery Holding Group to begin producing electric vans in China starting in 2021.

Chery will invest up to 500 million euros ($551 million) and plans annual production capacity in China of up to 100,000 vehicles.

Ford started production of an electric van in Germany last year using technology provided by StreetScooter. The StreetScooter WORK XL is based on Ford's large Transit van and is equipped with a drivetrain and body designed with the help of StreetScooter.

StreetScooter is expanding its activities despite a projected loss and a search by Deutsche Post for outside companies willing to invest or take over the unit.

StreetScooter will make a double digit million euros loss this year, Deutsche Post CEO Frank Appel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

"We are in talks with potential partners and buyers," Appel told the paper in an interview published Sunday.

He said in the long run Deutsche Post wants to focus on its core business and does not want to own the electric delivery van unit.

Reuters contributed to this report