Innovative Lordstown ute recalled after just 31 built

Pioneering in-wheel motor EV maker Lordstown Motors Corp has been forced to recall 19 of 31 Endurance utes it has built because of component quality issues.

At the same it has stopped production of the Endurance at the plant in Lordstown Ohio the company is named after.

The Endurance is one of a number of battery elctric utes from start-ups that have emerged to take on the established truck superpowers Ford, Chevrolet, GMC and RAM.

But most have hit issues, including Rivian, Bollinger, Nikola and Lordstown – and the radical Tesla Cybertruck is running years late.

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Lordstown says the issues may include modification of part design, retrofits and software updates.

But the recall has specifically been made because of specific electrical connection issue that could result in as loss of propulsion while driving.

The company said it is working with its supplier network to implement a corrective action that it believes will address this issue. 

This is the latest setback for Lordstown, which has endured a series of issues getting the Endurance to market.

The ute was launched in 2020, but the company had consistent financial troubles and went public in a reverse merger in late 2020.

In 2021 founder and CEO Steve Burns was forced to depart the company after exaggerating orders for the Endurance.

In late 2021, the Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn purchased the plant from Lordstown and invested in the company.

The two companies then entered a deal for the Endurance to be built at the plant, with production forecast to begin in April 2022.

It actually kicked off in September 2022 with the target of delivering 50 vehicles in 2022 and 450 in the first quarter of 2023.

However, Lordstown has blamed supply chain restraint including the lack of availability of hub motor components for the manufacture of only 31 vehicles.

“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,” said Edward Hightower, Lordstown Motors CEO & President.

The 19 vehicles affected are either in the hands of customers or being used internally by LMC.