Securities Registration: Employee Benefit Plan (s-8)

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 2022

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Mullen Automotive Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

90-1025599
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

1405 Pioneer Street

Brea, California 92821

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

2022 Equity Incentive Plan of Mullen Automotive Inc.

(Full title of the plan)

David Michery
President, CEO and Chairman
1405 Pioneer St
Brea, CA 92821

(Name and address of agent for service)

(714) 613-1900

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

With a copy to:

Robert H. Cohen, Esq.

Daniel L. Woodard, Esq.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP
One Vanderbilt Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Tel: (212) 547-5400

Fax: (212) 547-5444

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ¨

Accelerated filer ¨

Non-accelerated filer x

Smaller reporting company x

Emerging growth company x

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ¨

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information specified in Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this Registration Statement and will be sent or given to employees in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). These documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) either as part of this registration statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this registration statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Form S-8, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference

The following documents, filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are incorporated herein by reference and deemed to be a part hereof:

	(a)	The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, as filed with the Commission on December 29, 2021, as amended by that Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 filed with the Commission on January 10, 2022.

	(b)	The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed with the Commission on May 16, 2022, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 17, 2022.

	(c)	The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Commission on February 14, 2022.

	(d)	The Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on October 20, 2021, November 4, 2021, November 12, 2021 (as amended by a Form 8-K/A filed with the Commission on November 19, 2021), January 24, 2022, February 28, 2022, March 10, 2022, March 31, 2022, March 31, 2022, June 10, 2022, June 21, 2022, June 24, 2022, July 13, 2022, and July 27, 2022.

	(e)	The description of the Company’s securities contained in the Prospectus, dated April 15, 2022, filed with the Commission on April 18, 2022 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) under the Securities Act (File No. 333-263880), relating to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-263880) filed with the Commission on March 28, 2022, together with any amendment thereto filed with the Commission for the purpose of updating such description.

To the extent that any information contained in any Current Report on Form 8-K, or any exhibit thereto, was furnished to, rather than filed with, the Commission, including any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, such information or exhibit is specifically not incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.

All reports and other documents that the Company subsequently files with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates the Company has sold all of the securities offered under this Registration Statement or deregisters the distribution of all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date that the Company files such report or document.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein modifies or replaces such statement. Any such statement so modified or replaced shall not be deemed, except as so modified or replaced, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides, in general, that a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, as we are, may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than a derivative action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. In the case of a derivative action, a Delaware corporation may indemnify any such person against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification will be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person will have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any other court in which such action was brought determines such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses.

Article VIII of our certificate of incorporation, as amended, states that to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, a director of the corporation shall not be liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.

Under Article IX of our certificate of incorporation, any person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is in any way involved in any threatened, pending or completed action suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including any appeal therefrom, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of ours or was serving at our request as a director or officer of another entity or enterprise (including any subsidiary), shall be indemnified and held harmless by us to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware Law, and we may advance all expenses incurred by such person in defense of any such proceeding prior to its final determination. The indemnification provided in our bylaws is not exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may otherwise be entitled.

We maintain a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of our corporation arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit No.		Description
4.1		Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Mullen Automotive Inc., a Delaware corporation, filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on October 2, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on November 12, 2021)
4.2		Certificate of Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Mullen Automotive, Inc., dated March 8, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 10, 2022)
4.3		Certificate of Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed on July 26, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 27, 2022)
4.4		Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 5, 2012)
4.5		Amendment No. 1 to the Bylaws, dated June 15, 2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 16, 2015)
4.6		Amendment No. 2 to the Bylaws, dated July 10, 2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 10, 2015)
5.1		Opinion of McDermott Will & Emery LLP
23.1		Consent of McDermott Will & Emery LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2		Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Daszkal Bolton LLP)
24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page)
99.1		Mullen Automotive Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix B to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A) filed with the Commission on June 24, 2022)
107		Filing Fee Table

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Brea, CA on August 11, 2022.

	Mullen Automotive Inc.

	By:	/s/ David Michery
	Name:	David Michery
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of Mullen Automotive Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned Directors and Officers of Mullen Automotive Inc. hereby constitute and appoint David Michery and Kerri Sadler as the Company’s or such Director’s or Officer’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, for the Company or such Director or Officer and in the Company’s or such Director’s or Officer’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, with full power to act alone, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file each such amendment to this Registration Statement, with all exhibits thereto, and any and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as the Company or such Director or Officer might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date

/s/ David Michery	Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board	August 11, 2022
David Michery	(Principal Executive Officer)	August 11, 2022

/s/ Kerri Sadler	Chief Financial Officer	August 11, 2022
Kerri Sadler	(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ Ignacio Novoa	Director	August 11, 2022
Ignacio Novoa

/s/ Mary Winter	Secretary and Director	August 11, 2022
Mary Winter

/s/ Kent Puckett	Director	August 11, 2022
Kent Puckett

/s/ Mark Betor	Director	August 11, 2022
Mark Betor

/s/ William Miltner	Director	August 11, 2022
William Miltner

/s/ Jonathan New	Director	August 11, 2022
Jonathan New