Tesla Cybertruck Will Not Arrive Until 2023, at Best

Tesla’s hotly anticipated cybertruck promises to be many things, but it is not immune from the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage.

A Tesla insider recently told Reuters that the chip shortage is slowing plans for the new vehicle. The car is not expected to hit the road until the first quarter of next year, at the earliest, according to the report.

The global semiconductor shortage has posed a major hurdle for auto manufacturers around the globe who had expected to ramp up the pace of production following slowdowns forced by the pandemic. Chipmakers shifted their output to consumer electronics during the pandemic, creating an ongoing shortage.

The truck is not only a big hit already among Tesla enthusiasts but also a big play for the luxury electric vehicle producer.

“Tesla, the world's top electric car maker, makes electric sedans and sport utility vehicles but has missed out on the pickup truck segment, which is profitable and hugely popular in America,” Hyunjoo Jin writes for Reuters. “Ford Motor Co. and Rivian Automotive are ahead of Tesla in launching electric pickups.”

Ford’s new F-150 Lightning electric pickup is expected to land at U.S. dealerships in the spring, according to Reuters.

Tesla’s Defect Problem and California Car Owners’ Rights

Tesla has a bigger problem than the chip shortage on its hands. The company is facing increasing questions about the safety of its Autopilot driver-assist technology.

Federal regulators are investigating 12 accidents in which Teslas crashed into parked emergency vehicles, for example, looking at how much the vehicles’ Autopilot driver-assist system was involved. The probe comes as other accidents in California, Texas and Florida have reportedly been linked to Autopilot and motorists possibly taking their eyes off the road.

Meanwhile, late last year the company announced that it was recalling nearly half a million cars because of hood and rearview camera defects. Tesla told regulators that the problems increased the risk of a crash.

The good news for Tesla and other car owners in California is that you have some valuable rights under the state’s lemon law. A San Diego lemon law attorney at our firm can help you take action.

Also known as the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the lemon law forces car manufacturers to do a variety of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces manufacturers to buy back (or replace, in some situations) cars that they are unable or simply refuse to fix. That includes compensating the owner for the car’s purchase price, along with financing fees, rental car expenses and other related costs.

Talk with a San Diego Lemon Law Attorney

If you are stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over repairs, the San Diego lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a San Diego lemon law attorney.