Ohio-based electric automaker Lordstown Motors has announced another setback in its goal of releasing its Endurance to the electric pickup market. After years of delay, the automaker now halts production and delivery operations for the electric pickup due to a voluntary recall.
Lordstown’s voluntary recall
Lordstown indicated in its press release on February 23 that it has encountered quality and performance-related issues with certain Endurance components. It prompted the automaker to immediately halt production and deliveries.
Lordstown is currently collaborating with its component suppliers to diagnose the cause and potential solutions. The automaker expects the process to require “design modifications, retrofits, and software updates.”
Scope
That said, the company has already submitted a voluntary recall request to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to properly address the issue. Interestingly, it cited “a specific electrical connection issue that could result in loss of propulsion while driving.”
Apparently, the voluntary recall would cover 19 Endurance EVs currently used by the company or delivered to customers. Per previous reports, Lordstown has produced 31 units as of January 3, while 6 of that total are already delivered to customers.
Unfortunately, Lordstown has not yet disclosed its schedule to resume production and deliveries.
“While our experienced team has made significant progress in addressing the underlying component and vehicle sub-system issues affecting the Endurance build schedule, we remain committed to doing the right thing by our customers and to resolve potential issues before resuming production and customer shipments.”
Lordstown CEO and President, Edward Hightower
After the announcement, Lordstown’s stock dropped 11.8% to $1.08 in Thursday trading. It is indeed bad news for the automaker, considering its plan to start commercial production in September of this year.
