Electric truck manufacturer Lordstown Motors is temporarily stopping production.
The Ohio plant has started manufacturing the Endurance truck, but there is a new issue that is hampering its goals to ramp up throughout 2023. On Thursday, Lordstown Motors said it is launching a voluntary recall on 19 trucks already on the road. That number may seem insignificant — and it is compared to Tesla, which just recalled more than 360,000 vehicles — but the company hasn’t produced many trucks to date. In fact, it was still working on getting out the first 500-unit wave, for which it began deliveries last November.
Lordstown Motors cited performance and quality issues with some components. In its statement, the company says it’s working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to address “a specific electrical connection issue that could result in loss of propulsion while driving.” It’s also working with its suppliers on a correction to that problem. A handful of trucks Lordstown built but are not in customer hands, including trucks used at the plant, will be retrofitted with a fix as soon as parts are available, as well as those currently being built or awaiting delivery.
The company has not yet clarified when it would restart production and deliveries. However, it does intend to give a status update on its upcoming earnings call on March 6.
