Results of Operations
The following discussion compares operating data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 to the corresponding periods ended September 30, 2021:
Sales
Sales were $3,882,670 and $709,092 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $7,078,870 and $1,368,151 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Sales for the three months ended September 30, 2022 consisted of three cab and chassis trucks to a dealer and 34 logistic cargo vans sold primarily to customers in New Jersey who utilized a voucher from the NJ ZIP program. Sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 consisted of the sales in the third quarter plus 13 cargo vans sold to factory authorized representatives, one logistics cargo van sold to a dealer and 11 logistics cargo vans sold primarily to New Jersey customers utilizing the NJ ZIP program. In addition, three cab and chassis trucks and three used buses were also sold. Sales attributable to higher vehicle selling price were $585,125 and $746,390 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales were $2,046,491 and $469,611 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $3,998,533 and $930,977 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Cost of sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 consisted of the costs related to the sale of the vehicles sold as described above and, in early 2022, for the costs of providing maintenance and inspection services that have been discontinued.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses were $1,619,210 and $1,344,840 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, an increase of $274,370. The increase was primarily due to $143,821 of professional fees (primarily legal fees); to insurance costs of $136,252, to $100,692 of increased payroll expense; to rents of $94,952, to contract labor costs of $82,503 primarily related to engineering and technical assistance; to advertising and marketing expenses of $78,871; to travel and related expenses of $53,003 related primarily to tradeshows and sales. These increases were partially reduced by a reduction in bad debt expenses of $253,879, non cash stock-based compensation expense of $121,132, and reductions of $40,713 in other general and administrative expenses compared to the 2021 period. The third quarter 2022 general and administrative expenses include $50,000 of non-cash bad debt expense and $19,092 of non-cash depreciation expense. The general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2021 included non-cash depreciation expense of $7,655.
General and administrative expenses were $6,142,194 and $2,766,989 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, an increase of $3,375,205. The increase was primarily related to $1,493,713 non-cash stock-based compensation expense recorded with respect to the stock options granted during the first quarter of 2022. Other increases were due to payroll-related expenses of $643,101; to professional fees of $372,903 (primarily legal fees); to contract labor costs of $273,421 primarily related to engineering and technical assistance; to insurance costs of $271,654; to advertising and marketing expenses of $247,944; to travel and related expenses of $151,594 related primarily to finalizing logistics and moving into the Osceola, Arkansas manufacturing location and tradeshows, information and communications technologies of $78,388, subscriptions and continuing education of $47,162, and to increases in other general and administrative expenses of $75,204. These increases were partially reduced by a reduction in bad debt of $279,879 compared to the 2021 period. The general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 include $1,721,545 in non-cash charges, with depreciation expense of $56,700 and bad debt expense related to trade receivables of $50,000 being added to stock-based compensation expense of $1,614,845. The general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 included $468,042 in non-cash charges, including $303,879 in bad debt expense unrelated to trade accounts receivable, $121,132 in stock-based compensation expense and depreciation expense of $43,031.
Consulting Expenses
Consulting expenses were $94,187 and $36,735 for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $264,505 and $142,092 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The increase in the current year period was due primarily to payments to an Arkansas state relationship and incentive consulting firm that assisted the Company in securing the manufacturing facility in Osceola, Arkansas and to the cost of the ASC 805 valuation report related to the Merger.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses were $25,000 and $112,412 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and no expense was incurred for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021. The increase in the current year period was due to the development of new product lines which includes a school bus and Class 5 cab over chassis truck.
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