avoid at all costs - Anonymous employee Lit Motors Employee Review

1.0
4 Nov 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The previous building was interesting, in a dilapidated sort of way. Access to tools after hours (though with threats that you broke something, or that you're keeping the CEO — who lived in the PDR-zoned building — up too late).

Cons

Laughably poor pay; no benefits or PTO; a consistently hostile, Dickensian work environment; full-time employees often (illegally) paid as contractors; a complete lack of vision...an utter dumpster fire. Also: the CEO makes it abundantly clear that he and Lit Motors are synonymous, so a review of the company is essentially a review of him. The single-founder CEO runs the company with an incompetent iron fist, and ranges somewhere between Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Sociopathy. He's an HR nightmare, with frequent outbursts of sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, in addition to the more general inappropriate comments and rage-fueled tirades (and occasional physical assault). He also clearly has no idea what he's doing, as there's virtually nothing to show for almost eight years of development on a product that had a significant amount of buzz at one point, winning accolades from a variety of corners in 2012/13. The root cause is his ego: this prevented him from taking VC investment because he couldn't get Zuckerberg-esque terms (all money raised has been from very dumb investors) and refused more conventional deals as personal insults; this drove away many waves of very smart engineers, as he's convinced that his industrial design degree and a year or so working as a mechanic gave him PhD-level understanding of all forms of engineering; and this precluded the possibility of competent management, as he holds the only seat on a board of one and clings to his power like a security blanket. This massive ego is paired with an impressive level of incompetence across fronts. Design is overly academic. Engineering is stymied by his complete lack of (or even appreciation of) understanding. Management is bipolar, with strongly-held decisions where flexibility would benefit, and a lack of decision-making where decisiveness is vital. He demonstrates an almost Trumpian level of overconfidence in his own abilities and accomplishments, while parroting back the last idea he happened to hear. The only thing he excels at is self-aggrandizement, which seems to be his primary driver. Like a washed-up high school quarterback, he speaks often of accomplishments from over a decade ago. He often takes credit for the work of others, especially his employees. He is apparently more interested in making the rounds on the conference speaking circuit than running his company. And this is all built upon a Ponzi scheme of truth, where lies today (about the state of the product, company, etc) are paid for by future truth...except that often the "future truth" was either delayed or never happened, leading to lies just being lies. The product/company/team/etc were never at the state claimed. But that never prevented him from using those lies to sell the product of himself. It's no surprise that the CEO's behavior has driven away every talented employee he ever duped into working for him, and has him blacklisted by the VC community.

Explore other reviews about Lit Motors

1.0
25 May 2025
Anonymous contractor
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Occasional free lunch, whenever CEO feels like eating on company dime. Otherwise no pros.

Cons

CEO encompasses all major traits of narcissism: grandiosity, constant need of admiration, total lack of empathy, entitled, manipulative, exploitative, arrogant. Impossible to work without being subject to daily tirades about homosexuality, trans people, gen Z, women. Hates remote work and needs people in "office" which is a run down warehouse owned by his parents that he lives in. Doesn't pay anything close to a competitive wage, while expecting you to not have a life outside of work. Does not respect boundaries and treats employees with skepticism, belittlement, and discouragement. Burns company money at an irresponsible and questionable rate. Should've listened to the reviews here which turned out to be completely accurate. Investors, be warned.

1
1.0
17 Nov 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Some people there are pretty bro The hardware is truly amazing and there are huge opportunities for problem solving The application of CMG's to two-wheeled vehicles is rad The location in the city is near lots of good food and coffee and pretty close to Caltrain/Bart

Cons

The CEO is a self-described "3-way combination of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Chuck Yeager" The CEO is self-described to be "like 6 engineers" The CEO doesn't know the difference between a semicolon, an Amp, a Watt, or a Newton meter The CEO with an art degree will lecture engineers with M.S. degrees on what a bode plot is The pay is extremely low and there are no benefits The workplace is toxic (both physically and mentally) The insulation in the building is poor and it is really cold

26
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All