Tesla is recalling more than 2,400 of its highly hyped Cybertrucks, marking the sixth recall this year alone for the supposed marvel of EV engineering. It seems that for all the flashy promises, Elon Musk’s angular truck is facing some pretty basic mechanical challenges—like, say, staying operational. This time, the issue is a faulty drive inverter that can suddenly cut off power, leaving the driver stranded. A real problem for an “all-terrain beast” that’s looking more like a shiny paperweight on wheels.
Tesla informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about this latest snag after an investigation in July, when a Cybertruck was found immobile due to a failed drive inverter. By October, they had traced the problem to a faulty batch of inverters installed between November 2023 and July 2024. So far, there have been five cases tied to this problem, though Tesla assures us there have been no injuries or collisions. And here’s the kicker: the driver gets zero warning before this futuristic truck decides it’s done for the day. Only after the accelerator goes unresponsive does a warning suggest pulling over.
Unlike many of Tesla’s past issues, which they often attempt to patch up through over-the-air software updates, this one needs real, hands-on attention—a hardware fix. Tesla plans to start notifying owners by January 2025 and will offer repairs at no charge from December 9, 2024. But for the loyal Cybertruck owner, this is just another hiccup in a growing list of recalls for the supposedly revolutionary vehicle.
Since its release last year, the Cybertruck has been hit with five previous recalls. These include everything from unreadable warning lights to gas pedals that might stick, leading to unwanted acceleration—a feature no one asked for. Earlier recalls also involved malfunctioning windshield wipers and a rearview camera that takes its sweet time to boot up, making reversing an adventure in blind faith.
Despite all these issues, Cybertruck sales are still giving Tesla a boost. The truck ranks as the third best-selling EV in America, behind Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3. It’s almost as if these recalls don’t faze Tesla buyers, or maybe they just believe in Musk’s vision that much. In an October earnings call, Musk told investors he expects Tesla’s vehicle sales to surge by 20 to 30 percent in 2025, and he couldn’t help but remind everyone that Tesla is one of the only EV companies turning a profit.
In a rare moment of transparency, Musk pointed out the obvious: “To the best of my knowledge, no EV company is even profitable.” And he’s not wrong. Tesla remains the only player in the EV game making money, even if its trucks are recalled left and right. But it’s a testament to the cult of Musk that people keep buying these Cybertrucks, recalls and all. Meanwhile, the leftist climate warriors who think EVs are the answer to everything better hope their own Cybertruck doesn’t conk out when they’re driving back from their next protest. Maybe the biggest news here is that President Trump’s America First energy policies just might keep gas-guzzling vehicles running long enough to be the real backup plan.
