Tesla Withdraws Cybertruck From Circulation, Quality Continues To Be In The Spotlight

JAKARTA - Since its appearance, the Tesla Cybertruck has been the subject of controversy mainly due to several factors from futuristic and box-shaped Cybertruck designs that are very different from traditional pickup car designs. This caused mixed reactions, with some praising his innovations, while others criticized his appearance as strange.

Furthermore, stainless steel body material has also drawn criticism, as it is reported that it is easy to scratched and leave fingerprint marks. Some of the claims Tesla made about the capabilities of the Cybertruck, such as its resistance to bullets, have been questioned for demonstrations of launches featuring broken "barm glass" are also in the negative spotlight.

However, the earliest was highlighted clearly because the Cybertruck experienced several production delays, which caused disappointment among consumers who had been ordering for a long time.

Recently, Tesla was forced to pull back almost all Cybertruck models in the United States to repair an exterior panel that has the potential to be released while driving.

According to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Thursday and reported by Reuters on March 20, this recall includes more than 46.000 Cybertruck units produced between November 2023 and February 27, 2025. NHTSA stated that exterior trim panels made of stainless steel have the potential to escape, posing an accident risk.

As a result, this time the withdrawal will be the eighth time for the bullet-proof SUV since January 2024, and has the potential to damage the company's reputation amid intense market competition.

"This withdrawal highlights the quality issues Tesla has avoided over the years," said Sam Fioroni, vice president of research firm AutoForecast Solutions.

"Reputation takes a long time to build and can be tarnished very quickly," he added.

Tesla explained that the released panels can cause noise in the cabin or are visually visible. The company recorded 151 guarantee claims that may be linked to this issue, but until now there have been no reports of accidents or injuries.

This withdrawal comes amid a decline in interest in Cybertruck after several production delays. Cybertruck sales were only a small part of Tesla's total shipments, which reached 1.79 million units by 2024. In addition, Tesla's shares have lost about half of its value this year due to increased competition, aging vehicle models, and political controversy surrounding CEO Elon Musk.