American electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Group has issued a recall of more than 200 of its high-end premium electric sedans. The company said there could be some safety issues with its vehicles due to faulty front strut dampers.
The recall is the first issued by the company with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since it began delivering its electric Air Dream Edition sedans in October of last year. The company said it had identified the defect, which could affect more than 200 of its delivered 2022 Lucid Air vehicles.
The recall sent the company's stock price down by as much as 5%. As of Tuesday, the stock is trading at around $25.51 per share. It reached a low of around $25.18 per share.
Lucid said it had not received any reports of the front strut dampers failing, but it still went ahead with the recall to ensure the safety of its customers. The company said around 1% of the affected vehicles might have had their dampers incorrectly installed due to an issue in how they were assembled by its supplier.
The electric company began producing its long-awaited $169,000 luxury electric sedan in September after years of delays due to quality issues and supply. Since then, the company has only delivered a small quantity of the special edition variant of the sedan.
On Tuesday, the electric carmaker began sending emails to customers who had recently bought its Air Dream Edition vehicles. The company told customers that the defective dampers might result in issues such as a sudden loss of ground clearance, front brake damage, vehicle vibration, and an increased risk of drivers losing control of their vehicles.
In the email, Lucid said that if the dampers fail or snap, it could happen without warning, and it may result in major damage to electrical connections. In some cases, drivers may be presented with a "Suspension Control Fault" error message. The company said the damaged part could also result in a break hose leak, and this would result in a "Brake Fluid Level Low" error when the fluid falls below 81.9% of the recommended level.
Lucid advised customers to immediately bring in their vehicle for an inspection. The company said it would fix or replace the strut dampers free of charge, adding that the entire process will likely take up to four hours. For vehicles without the issue, customers can expect a wait time of just an hour for the inspection. If needed, the company is prepared to provide owners with a loaner vehicle or alternate transportation while their car is being serviced.
