- Lordstown Motors has stopped production of the Endurance electric van, citing problems with supplier components.
- The truck has been in production since last fall, with Lordstown planning to assemble about 500 units with current financing.
- The Lordstown factory was bought by Taiwan’s Foxconn in spring 2022, with the tech giant planning to produce a number of EVs stateside, though few have been built to date.
The Lordstown Endurance has only been in production for a few months, but the truck is now facing a production shutdown. The EV manufacturer said it had “experienced performance and quality issues with certain Endurance components,” which led to the decision to temporarily halt production. The company’s response to the performance and quality issues, which it did not specify, also affects completed trucks awaiting delivery to customers.
But the entire pool of affected trucks amounts to only 19 vehicles that have either been delivered, or are currently being used internally by the company.
The EV maker said it is working with suppliers on the causes of these problems and that potential solutions could include retrofits and design changes, as well as software updates. However, the formal decision to issue a recall was made in light of “a specific electrical connection issue” that could cause a loss of power while driving.
The Lordstown Endurance is unique among electric vans – and EVs as a whole – in that it has in-wheel hub motors. The truck produces a combined 440 horsepower, thanks to its four motors, and is powered by a 109.0 kWh battery. However, this setup gives the truck an EPA-estimated range of 193 miles, which puts it near the lower end of the spectrum for electric pickups currently on the market.
The truck’s overall positioning and $65,060 starting price make it perhaps an odd choice in a segment that’s finally seeing some compelling choices — and some serious competition from longtime automakers.
2023 Lordstown Endurance.
“While our experienced team has made significant progress in addressing the underlying component and vehicle subsystem issues impacting the Endurance build schedule, we remain committed to doing the right thing by our customers and resolving potential issues before production and customer shipments be resumed.” said Edward Hightower, CEO and President of Lordstown Motors.
Production of the Endurance began in early October 2022, just a few months after the plant was sold to Taiwan’s Hon Hai Technology Group, better known as Foxconn. At the time, the company said it planned to assemble only up to 500 trucks, with 50 scheduled for delivery in 2022. The remainder was expected to be delivered in 2023, “subject to raising sufficient capital.” That’s why there are still a few stars for the whole enterprise.
Jay Ramey grew up around a lot of strange European cars, and instead of looking for something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use, he was drawn to the more adventurous side of the reliability spectrum. Despite being succeeded by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow managed to avoid Citroën ownership, judging it too mundane, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
