Mullen Automotive Inc. is using an unusual, but not unprecedented, strategy to introduce its new Five electric crossover to the buying public. They’re calling it the Mullen Five Strikingly Different EV Crossover Tour.
The tour began Oct. 27 in Pasadena, California, and continued on Nov. 1 and 2 in Anaheim, California. From the greater Los Angeles area, the tour will next move to Las Vegas before continuing on to other cities with high EV adoption rates.
The tour concept is designed to give EV buyers a chance to experience the Mullen Five in person. Participants in the tour have the opportunity to ride along with a professional driver in the Mullen and interact with the entirely new infotainment system.
Mullen is also showcasing Persona, the company’s proprietary personal vehicle assistant software, and its proprietary infotainment technology. It uses facial recognition technology to personalize the vehicle and driving experience for the consumer, including the infotainment.
“When we announced the Pasadena location, we received an overwhelmingly positive response and were completely booked out in a matter of hours. So, we decided to add an additional L.A. area stop to ensure more people have the opportunity to experience the Five,” said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive.
“It’s been a remarkable journey for us to get to this point of officially starting the Mullen Five demonstrator US tour. We’re beyond grateful for the incredible support we’ve received so far.”
One lap around America in a very fast crossover
The Las Vegas event will be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Nov. 10-11. From there the show goes on to Texas, with stops in Dallas and Houston on Nov. 14-15 and November 18-19 respectively. Continuing the swing through the South, the tour moves on to Memphis, Tennessee with dates to be announced, and Miami, Florida on Dec. 5-6 at Loan Depot Park. Further stops in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina are planned, but dates have not been finalized.
Interested customers can visit MullenUSA.com to register for the show nearest their home.
After the holidays, the tour will pick up again in the spring of 2023 with a focus on the East Coast, Midwest and Pacific Northwest before finishing up in northern California. The second leg of the tour will feature the Mullen Five RS, which is a high-performance EV sport crossover featuring 1,100 horsepower, a top speed of 200 mph, and acceleration from 0-60 mph in just 1.9 seconds.
Good public response so far
After the initial show day in Pasadena, the company reported some success. A press release reads, “Off to a great start with first day reservations exceeding expectations and overwhelmingly positive customer feedback. The overall magnitude of Mullen Five pre-orders leading up to and during the Pasadena event has quadrupled in volume.”
“The incredible response we are receiving for the Mullen FIVE on tour is a repeat of what we witnessed last November at the Five’s LA Auto Show world debut — confirming very high interest in this EV,” Michery said.
Not the first introductory tour of its type
Mullen’s idea to take their new product on the road and direct to consumers is far from unique. Volkswagen used similar pop-up test drive and demonstration sites around the country to introduce the all-electric ID.4 just a couple years ago.
Looking further back, South Korean economy car maker Daewoo tried recruiting college students as brand ambassadors. Young people who bought Daewoo cars were paid on commission to sell other students on the diminutive vehicles.
The idea of an introductory tour works well with new brands and electric vehicles because it gives the public a chance to lay eyes and hands on the product, rather than simply seeing an ad or reading a story. When establishing credibility for quality, performance, and the simple reality of the vehicle, seeing is believing.