Professionals in the freight transportation trades are accustomed to wide-reaching recalls. From deficient braking systems to electrical issues, thousands of diesel trucks require parts replacements and repairs annually. But the latest electric semi recalls may give some fleet operators pause. Between Tesla, Nikola, and others, it seems like more big rigs are being hauled in for repairs than delivering goods and materials.
By February, Tesla touted its semi production after rolling 38 EVs off its assembly lines. By the end of March, at least 35 Teslas were recalled due to parking brake issues. It seems that components supplied by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems may have been faulty. Given the low production numbers and poor optics when at least one Tesla Semis used by PepsiCo in California had to be towed, it may be hard for fleet operators to feel the zero-emissions love.
The same holds true for a variety of other manufacturers. In mid-July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted a notice that 82 Freightliner eCascadia Class 8 trucks were experiencing power loss issues. The recall reportedly focused on faulty welds associated with the electronic axels.
Similarly, Volvo Truck North America’s Class 8 VNR Electric and the Mack LR Electric both suffered post-production setbacks. In separate incidents, 125 VNR Electrics and four Mack LR Electric were recalled due to coolant problems in the high-voltage battery systems. Reports indicate design flaw resulted in short-circuiting.
Perhaps the largest recall to date, Nikola was prompted to voluntarily recall 209 Class 8 Tre BEV model commercial vehicles after coolant leaks resulted in a fire. The fluid leaks caused one battery to overheat and catch fire in June. The recall represents a stunning 60 percent of all the heavy-duty battery-driven trucks it has manufactured to date. The figure may also equal the total number of EVs shipped to customers.
Nikola stocks reportedly dropped by 10 percent following news of the fire and recall. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Nikola suffered a second-quarter loss of $217.8 million. In 2022, its second-quarter loss topped $173 million. A revenue slip of $18.1 million to $15.4 million also shows the organization may be headed in the wrong direction.
The zero-emissions truck manufacturer also indicated it was halting production in mid-August, leaving unsold rigs sitting in its parking lots. It appears Nikola is pivoting away from the battery-electric format in favor of its original hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles.
https://electrek.co/2023/03/31/tesla-issues-its-first-tesla-semi-recall/
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/electric-truck-recalls-begin-to-mount-albeit-in-small-numbers
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