Frohnmayer out as CEO of Arcimoto following DUII citation
Mark Frohnmayer, founder of the Eugene-based three-wheeler electric vehicle company Arcimoto, is no longer its CEO. The change in leadership follows a July citation for driving under the influence.
Arcimoto announced the change in leadership through a news release Friday morning. Jesse Fittipaldi, formerly the company's vice president, has been appointed interim CEO while Frohnmayer has been named "chief vision officer."
Frohnmayer will remain chairman of the board.
“The top-notch management team Arcimoto has assembled, including seasoned veterans we have cultivated within for many years, as well as the serious rock star talent we’ve recently brought on board, has allowed me to focus directly on what I do best: articulating the long-term vision of the company through key partnerships and future product and technology initiatives,” Frohnmayer said in the release.
More:Eugene residents to drive home first Arcimoto 'fun utility vehicles' Thursday
“I couldn’t be more thrilled that Jesse Fittipaldi, who has been helping me build the company hand-in-hand these last seven years, from a team of five to more than 300, is now stepping up to take on the daily leadership of Arcimoto’s plan to bring clean mobility solutions to the world.”
As Arcimoto's chief vision officer, Frohnmayer will be focused on long-term strategic initiatives as well as technology development programs surrounding the future of sustainable mobility alternatives, according to the release.
The company did not make clear the reason for the leadership change.
Eugene Police Department spokeswoman Melinda McLaughlin said in a statement Friday that Frohnmeyer was citied in lieu of arrest for driving under the influence just after 10 p.m. on July 15. He allegedly had "driven to the location on a three-wheeled motorcycle," McLaughlin said.
Frohnmayer and a company spokesperson did not immediately return calls seeking comment Friday.
Frohnmayer founded Arcimoto in 2007, and the company would spend more than a decade designing and re-designing its three-wheel electric vehicle, launching commercial production of its signature "fun utility vehicle" in 2019.
"I started the company because I went looking for a vehicle that didn't exist," Frohnmayer said in 2019.
Arcimoto vehicles now are being delivered to customers in a variety of styles, including styles designed to facilitate last-mile deliveries and emergency services. The vehicles have become a not-uncommon sight around the Eugene area.
More:Eugene's homegrown Arcimoto electric vehicles finding their way to local customers
In the announcement about the leadership change, Fittipaldi said he is honored to lead the company.
“We endeavor to continue the vision set forth by our founder Mark Frohnmayer, who built Arcimoto from the ground up, starting with a napkin sketch and a dream to build the right tool for the job of daily driving. I will do my best to enable the entire team to fulfill its desire to make a difference in the world,” Fittipaldi said.
Fittipaldi joined Arcimoto in 2015 as the company's business development lead, according to the news release. From 2017 to 2020, Fittipaldi was vice president of the company and had been serving as chief strategy officer since 2020.
Contact reporter Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@registerguard.com. Follow on Twitter @DuvernayOR.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Frohnmayer out as CEO of Eugene-based Arcimoto electric vehicle
