EV startup Lordstown Motors announced that it temporarily stopped production and customer deliveries since its last production update in January.
In a statement posted on its website, the company said it has experienced performance and quality issues with certain components of its Endurance pickup truck that have led it to this decision.
Lordstown said the problem is a "specific electrical connection issue that could result in a loss of propulsion while driving" and has issued a voluntary recall for 19 vehicles "that are either in the hands of customers or being used internally by LMC."
The company said it is working with its supplier network to implement a corrective action that it believes will address this issue.
"The team is diligently working with suppliers on the root cause analysis of each issue and potential solutions, which in some cases may include part design modifications, retrofits, and software updates," the carmaker said in the statement.
Gallery: Lordstown Motors Endurance
Lordstown also noted that Endurance vehicles waiting for shipment and those in process at the manufacturing plant will also get the fix once it becomes available.
"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."
Edward Hightower, Lordstown Motors CEO & President
The EV startup said it intends to provide a more detailed update on the status of these matters on its upcoming earnings call on March 6. It did not say when it estimates that production and deliveries would resume.
Lordstown started production of the Endurance electric pickup in late September 2022, and the vehicle was homologated and certified for US sales two months later. The company had set a target to deliver 50 vehicles in 2022 and 450 in the first quarter of 2023, but it made only 31 units for sale since production began.
Last month, the EV maker said it expected production to be slow through the first quarter due to supply chain constraints, particularly pertaining to the availability of hub motor components.
