Elon Musk Said With Confidence 'I Know More About Manufacturing Than Anyone Alive'—Then the Cybertruck Rolled Out With 8 Recalls And A PR Mess

In 2022, during a TED interview in Vancouver, Elon Musk delivered the kind of line that doesn't leave much room for humility.

"At this point, I think I know more about manufacturing than anyone currently alive on Earth," he said, after recounting what he called three years of "excruciating pain" while ramping up production of the Model 3. "We were on the ragged edge of bankruptcy the entire time… I can tell you how every damn part in that car is made."

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That stretch—2017 through 2019—was brutal, Musk admitted. But by 2022, he seemed confident Tesla TSLA  had cracked the code. Factories were smarter. Processes were streamlined. The future, according to Musk, would be different.

Now in 2025, that confidence is facing a reality check—one stainless steel panel at a time.

Tesla began Cybertruck deliveries in late 2023. Since then, the truck has been recalled eight times in 15 months. The most recent issue came this month, when U.S. safety regulators issued a recall covering 46,096 Cybertrucks—virtually every one on the road.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a panel known as the cant rail assembly—running along both sides of the windshield—can detach while driving. The part is secured with structural adhesive that, as it turns out, might not hold up in the real world. Tesla's fix involves a stronger adhesive and added reinforcements. Notices are expected to go out to owners by May 19.

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This follows a November recall over an inverter defect that could cause the drive wheels to lose power—just one in a string of problems that's kept the Cybertruck's rollout anything but smooth.

Compounding the technical issues, Tesla's efforts to market the Cybertruck have faced challenges. Initially promoted as a futuristic, high-status vehicle, the Cybertruck attracted celebrity attention and generated immense hype. 

On an earnings call just a month before the Cybertruck's November 2023 launch, Musk declared that Tesla had racked up "over 1 million" reservations and said demand was "off the charts." However, sales have been disappointing, with fewer than 50,000 units delivered. 

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In response, Tesla has shifted its marketing strategy, repositioning the Cybertruck as a practical, work-capable pickup akin to the Ford F-150. This rebranding aims to appeal to traditional truck buyers, particularly in red-state markets, amid concerns that Musk's political affiliations may have alienated some potential customers.

To be clear, none of this erases Tesla's very real achievements in reinventing car factories or scaling production faster than just about anyone thought possible. But it does cast a playful shadow over Musk's boldest manufacturing claims—because knowing how every part is made doesn't always guarantee they'll get along once they hit the road.

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