Nikola has recalled all 93 of its Tre battery-electric trucks, according to a Sept. 14 safety recall report.
The EV maker issued the recall due to seat belts that were possibly improperly installed, which NHTSA officials say could increase the risk of injury during a crash.
An employee for Nikola discovered the issue in July during a pre-delivery inspection at a dealer, according to Nikola’s report.
The Phoenix-based startup disclosed in its safety recall report that it reported the issue to Iveco, the cab manufacturer that sourced and installed the seat belts.
“In August-September 2022, Iveco informed Nikola that the final torque on the passenger seat belt shoulder anchorage was not installed to specification, is susceptible to cross threading and that the condition may exist on other trucks,” Nikola wrote.
Nikola is repairing the seat belt mount for sold and pre-series U.S. models, Nikola spokesperson Nicole Rose said in a statement.
“This seat belt recall impacts only US models, not trucks sold in the EU,” Rose said in the statement.
Nikola has been working to churn out between 300 and 500 electric trucks this year, CFO Kim Brady said in a Q2 earnings call. At the time of the Aug. 4 call, Nikola projected production of the Tre BEV truck would come in at the lower end of its forecast.
Rose declined to specify whether the recall would impact Nikola’s ability to meet its production goal. Among its customers is Saia, which signed a letter of intent to buy or lease up to 100 Tre BEV trucks across the LTL carrier’s network, with 25 expected in 2022, Nikola reported in January.
Nikola isn’t the only Class 8 electric truck OEM that has recently announced a recall. Orange EV recalled three units in August due to an incorrectly assembled steering gear that was fractured, according to an NHTSA notice.
