American multinational automotive and clean energy company Tesla has recalled its Semis, a fully electric semi-truck, over faulty brake issues.
Bendix Corporation, an American manufacturing and engineering company that supplies Tesla with parts, informed the automaker of the problem in February, according to paperwork posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. Tesla then proceeded to carry out an investigation into the issue and decided to recall the faulty semis.
The recall impacts 35 Semi trucks, however, it is unclear what percentage of the total number of Tesla Semis on the road that represents.
It was discovered that the semis truck parking brake could fail to engage due to air leakage within the unit, leaving drivers unaware that it isn’t activated, possibly leading to a rollaway incident when the driver releases the brake.
Tesla has further notified service teams regarding the recall and will mail letters to owners of the Semis, notifying them of the recall starting on the 23rd of May. Owners may also contact the Tesla customer service center for inquiries.
Investors King understands that Tesla Semis is receiving its first recall among other brands of the automaker’s collection that have received several calls. It would be recalled that the Tesla began the deliveries of its Semi Truck in December last year, rolling out an initial batch of 36 trucks to Pepsi and Frito-lay.
During its launch, Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the Semis as a “badass” big rig, with semi-autonomous features that could haul the maximum legal weight for 500 miles at highway speed. Not too long after its launch, Tesla’s plan to take over commercial trucking has recorded some cracks with its recent brake issue.
Meanwhile, on the company’s page, it assured customers that the Semis comes with standard active safety features that pair with advanced motor and brake controls to deliver traction and stability in all conditions.
It also stated that the Semis have Enhanced Autopilot, Automatic Emergency Braking, Automatic Lane Keeping, and Forward Collision Warning. The company also believes that moving the driver seat to the middle of the vehicle makes the Semi safer if it is involved in a crash
With less than 2 kWh per mile of energy consumption, Tesla Semi can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge. It can recover up to 70 percent of range in 30 minutes using Tesla’s Semi Chargers.
While the speed and acceleration are undoubtedly impressive and a considerable improvement over the current diesel trucks on the road, the range is the industry’s most important factor.
