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Summary of Business and Significant Accounting Principles | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
SUMMARY OF BUSINESS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES | 1. SUMMARY OF BUSINESS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES Nature of operations Workhorse Group Inc. (“Workhorse”, the “Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is a technology company focused on providing sustainable and cost-effective solutions to the commercial transportation sector. We are an American manufacturer who designs and builds high performance electric vehicles. As part of our solutions, we also develop cloud-based, real-time telematics performance monitoring systems that enable fleet operators to optimize energy and route efficiency. We are currently focused on bringing the C-Series electric delivery truck to market and fulfilling our existing backlog of orders. We are also exploring other opportunities in monetizing our intellectual property which could include a sale, license or other arrangement of assets that are outside of our core focus. Principles of consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Basis of presentation The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and liquidation of liabilities in the normal course of business. However, the Company has limited revenue and a history of negative working capital and stockholders’ deficits. Our existing capital resources will be insufficient to fund our operations through the 2020. Unless and until we are able to generate a sufficient amount of revenue, reduce our costs and/or enter into a strategic relationship, we expect to finance future cash needs through public and/or private offerings of equity securities and/or debt financings. If we are not able to obtain additional financing and/or substantially increase revenue from sales, we will be unable to continue as a going concern. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern. In view of these matters, continuation as a going concern is dependent upon the continued operations of the Company, which, in turn, is dependent upon the Company’s ability to meet its financial requirements, raise additional capital, and successfully carry out its future operations. The financial statements do not include any adjustments to the amount and classification of assets and liabilities that may be necessary, should the Company not continue as a going concern. The Company has continued to raise capital and debt. Management believes the proceeds from these offerings, future offerings, and the Company’s anticipated revenue, provides an opportunity to continue as a going concern. If additional funding is required, the Company plans to obtain working capital from either debt or equity financing from the sale of common, preferred stock, and/or convertible debentures. Obtaining such working capital is not assured. The Company is currently in a production ramp up mode and placing greater emphasis on manufacturing capability. Reclassifications Certain reclassifications were made to the prior year financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations or stockholders’ equity. Cash and cash equivalents Cash includes cash equivalents which are highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to cash. A cash equivalent is a highly liquid investment that at the time of acquisition has a maturity of three months or less. Financial instruments The carrying amounts of financial instruments including cash, inventory, accounts payable and the Convertible Note approximate fair value because of the relatively short maturity of these instruments. Accounts receivable Accounts receivable consists of collectible amounts for products and services rendered. The Company carries its accounts receivable at invoice amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts. On a periodic basis, the Company evaluates its accounts receivable and establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based on a history of past write-offs and collections and current credit conditions. Inventory, net Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Manufactured inventories are valued at standard cost, which approximates actual costs on a first-in, first-out basis. We record inventory reserves for excess or obsolete inventories based upon assumptions about our current and future demand forecasts. Property, plant and equipment, net Property, plant and equipment, net is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Major renewals and improvements are capitalized while replacements, maintenance and repairs, which do not improve or extend the lives of the respective assets, are expensed as incurred. When property, plant and equipment is retired or otherwise disposed of, a gain or loss is realized for the difference between the net book value of the asset and the proceeds realized thereon. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method, based upon the following estimated useful lives:
Buildings | 15 - 39 years
Software | 3 - 6 years
Equipment | 5 years
Vehicles and prototypes | 3 - 5 years
Impairment of long-lived assets Long-lived assets, such as property, plant, and equipment are reviewed for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset or asset group to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset or asset group. If the carrying amount of an asset or asset group exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset or asset group exceeds the fair value of the asset or asset group. Valuation of investment We have elected the measurement alternative allowed under generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for our investment in Lordstown Motor Corp. ("LMC"), which does not have a readily determinable fair value. Under the measurement alternative, we measure this investment at cost, less any impairment, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions in an identical or similar investment in LMC. At each reporting period, we evaluate our investment in LMC to determine if there are any events or circumstances that are likely to have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment. Examples of such impairment indicators include, but are not limited to, a significant deterioration in earnings performance, recent financing rounds at reduced valuations, a significant adverse change in the regulatory, economic or technological environment of an investee or a significant doubt about an investee’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we identify an impairment indicator, we will estimate the fair value of the investment and compare it to its carrying value. Our estimation of fair value considers financial information related to the investee available to us, including valuations based on recent third-party equity investments in the investee. If the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value, the investment is impaired and we recognize an impairment loss equal to the difference between an investment’s carrying value and its fair value measured under the measurement alternative. Warranty We generally offer warranty coverage for our products. We accrue warranty related costs under standard warranty terms and for certain claims outside the contractual obligation period that we choose to pay as accommodations to our customers. Provisions for estimated assurance warranties are recorded at the time of sale and are periodically adjusted to reflect actual experience. The amount of warranty liability accrued reflects management’s best estimate of the expected future cost of honoring Company obligations under the warranty plans. Historically, the cost of fulfilling the Company’s warranty obligations has principally involved replacement parts, towing and transportation costs, labor and sometimes travel for any field retrofit campaigns. The Company’s estimates are based on historical experience, the extent of pre-production testing, the number of units involved and the extent of features/components included in product models. Also, each quarter, the Company reviews actual warranty claims experience to determine if there are systemic defects that would require a field campaign. Although we believe that the estimates and judgments discussed herein are reasonable, actual results could differ and we may be exposed to increases or decreases in our warranty accrual that could be material. Activity for the Company's warranty accrual is as follows:
| December 31, |  |
| 2019 |  | 2018
Balance at beginning of year | $ | 7,058,769 |  |  | $ | 142,560 |
Accrual for warranty | 92,191 |  |  | 7,981,413 |
Warranty costs incurred | (1,149,096) |  |  | (1,065,204) |
Balance at end of year | $ | 6,001,864 |  |  | $ | 7,058,769 |
Fair value option As permitted under ASC 825, Financial Instruments, (“ASC 825”), the Company has elected the fair value option to account for its Convertible Note that was issued during 2019. In accordance with ASC 825, the Company records its Convertible Note at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in Interest Expense. As a result of applying the fair value option, direct costs and fees related to the Convertible Note were recognized in earnings as incurred and were not deferred. Common stock On May 3, 2019, the Company filed an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation to increase the authorized number of shares of common stock from 100,000,000 to 250,000,000. Income taxes We file a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return and separate state and local income tax returns. We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and tax benefit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities at the end of each period are determined using enacted tax rates. A valuation allowance is established or maintained when, based on currently available information, it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Research and development costs The Company expenses research and development costs as they are incurred. Research and development costs consist primarily of personnel costs for engineering and research, prototyping costs, and contract and professional services. Basic and diluted loss per share Basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss available to common stockholders (numerator) by the weighted average number of shares outstanding (denominator) during the period. Diluted earnings per share are calculated using the treasury stock method, on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect, if any, of stock options, unvested restricted stock and warrants. The if converted method is used for determining the impact of the Convertible Note. For all periods presented, due to the Company’s net losses, all of the common stock equivalents were anti-dilutive and excluded from the calculation of diluted loss per share. The following table shows the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share:
|  | Years Ended December 31, |  |
|  | 2019 |  | 2018
Net loss |  |  | $ | (37,162,827) |  |  |  | $ | (36,502,316) |
Deemed dividends |  | 86,207 |  |  | 765,179 |
Net loss attributable to common stockholders |  | $ | (37,249,034) |  |  | $ | (37,267,495) |
Basic weighted average shares outstanding |  | 64,314,756 |  |  | 50,377,909 |
Dilutive effect of options and warrants |  | — |  |  | — |
Dilutive effect of Convertible Note |  | — |  |  | — |
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding |  |  | 64,314,756 |  |  |  | 50,377,909 |
Anti-dilutive options and warrants excluded from diluted average shares outstanding |  | 36,021,502 |  |  | 21,686,465 |
Excluded from the above table are the shares on the conversion of the Convertible Note, which are convertible into 13,278,689 shares of common stock at December 31, 2019. Stock-based compensation The Company recognizes in its Consolidated Statements of Operations the grant-date fair value of share based awards issued to employees and non-employees over the awards' vesting period which equals the service period. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur. The fair value of restricted stock awards is the price of our common stock on the date of the award. The fair value for stock options is estimated on the grant date using a Black-Scholes valuation model that uses the assumptions of expected volatility, expected term, and the expected risk-free rate of return. The expected volatility was estimated by management as 50% based on results from other public companies in our industry. The expected term of the awards granted was assumed to be the contract life of the option as determined in the specific arrangement. The risk-free rate of return was based on market yields in effect on the date of each grant for United States Treasury debt securities with a maturity equal to the expected term of the award. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for the periods presented. Significant estimates and assumptions are used for, but are not limited to warranty liability, warrant liability, fair value of the Convertible Note and litigation-related accruals. Actual results could differ from our estimates.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122149 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 + Details
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