Tesla's Cybertruck recall: Soap-induced pedal flaws halt production

Tesla utilized liquid soap to facilitate the assembly of the accelerator pedal cover in Cybertrucks. The pedal in some instances may become stuck. At the directive of the U.S. Department of Transportation, vehicle production was halted.

All Tesla-produced electric pickups must be returned to the workshops. It concerns the threat posed by blocking the accelerator pedal in vehicles, which is manifesting in an increasing number of cases.

"The first report of this issue was on 31 March of this year. Following that, a slew of further reports surfaced. Within several days, an official report by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - ed. note) was drafted, pinpointing the main culprit - soap. It was found that Tesla, in assembling Cybertrucks, had used liquid soap to ease the fitting of the accelerator pedal cover, leaving residues that diminished the cover's grip, which over time began to shift and eventually detach".

In mid-April, Tesla acknowledged the defect and, following instructions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, halted the production of new Cybertrucks.

The structural issues of the Cybertruck aren't the only challenges Elon Musk's company is confronting. Tesla's performance in the first quarter of 2024 fell short of analysts' expectations. The company's adjusted earnings per share in the first quarter were 71 cents, falling below the anticipated 74 cents. Revenues dropped year over year by about 9%, to £17 billion, against the expected £17.8 billion. Net profit plunged by 55% to £905 million from £6.34 billion the previous year.

Furthermore, Tesla's shares have plummeted by more than 40% this year amid concerns over sluggish deliveries, competition in China, and ongoing price reductions. In the first quarter, Tesla saw an 8.5% decline in vehicle deliveries compared to the previous year.