Zero moves global headquarters from California to the Netherlands

On Friday, Zero announced that it will shift “key global functions” from its Scotts Valley facility to its European headquarters located in the Netherlands. The brand cited a “broader strategy designed to accelerate growth and sharpen its focus on the global opportunities in the two-wheel market” as the purpose of the move.

As part of the transition, several departments will transfer to the company’s Netherlands site, which will become Zero’s global headquarters moving forward. To complete the European relocation, the firm’s primary investor, which it did not disclose, has committed $50 million in new funding. The move also makes much more sense when one considers the fact that Europe is Zero’s “fastest-growing EV market.” Focusing more of its efforts on that market, along with other global markets, seems like a reasonable strategy. 

That doesn’t mean the manufacturer is completely abandoning U.S. consumers. Zero says that it will remain “strongly committed to the United States despite current U.S. tariff policies.” The Silicon Valley-adjacent Scotts Valley facility will also remain the brand’s R&D and Engineering hub, housing the company’s global tech initiatives. As its new XB and XE models roll out, Zero also claims it will continue to invest “in the people needed to win in the U.S. together with its dealer partners.”

The relocation might come as a surprise to many motorcycle enthusiasts, but given the growth of the EV market and current trade relations, it’s easy to understand Zero’s HQ change. What isn’t clear is whether or not the move will impact the distribution of Zero’s future products.