cars news 10: Tesla Sues Over Falcon Wing Doors That Caused Model X Delays

Tesla is suing German auto parts maker Hoerbiger for misrepresenting its ability to build the Model X’s falcon wing doors, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The lawsuit is intended to stop Hoerbiger from demanding Tesla to shell out money after it cut ties with the auto parts supplier in May 2015.

According to Tesla, Hoerbiger was to develop the Model X’s falcon wing doors after it won a competition against a number of other companies. But between February 2014 and May 2015, Hoerbiger was apparently unable to make a prototype that passed Tesla’s engineering standards.

2016-Tesla-Model-X-rear-side-motion-view

The lawsuit claims that Hoerbiger’s door prototypes didn’t work because they leaked oil, sagged, and produced too much heat. A Tesla spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal in an email that the automaker was forced to file a lawsuit after Hoerbiger “ignored their contracts [with Tesla] and instead demanded a large sum of money.” Hoerbiger is seeking payments from Tesla for the work it was promised, but the automaker says it doesn’t owe anymore than the $3 million dollars it paid for work on the prototype.

After Hoerbiger proved a bust, Tesla immediately hired another supplier to build the falcon wing doors for the Model X crossover. But by then, the automaker had allegedly lost quite a bit of money. The lawsuit states that Tesla “incurred millions of dollars in damages, including, but not limited to costs of re-tooling the entire vehicle in order to support a different engineering solution.” Additionally, the automaker says it had to pay the new supplier extra to rush out a new door design.

Originally slated to enter production in 2013, the Tesla Model X has been delayed multiple times. Deliveries finally started sometime in late 2015. The Model X has similar powertrain choices as the Model S sedan, including the P90D, which produces a total output of 762 hp and 713 lb-ft of torque from its two electric motors. Prices for the model start at $81,200.

Source: The Wall Street Journal (Subscription required)