Tesla Sues Supplier Over Model X Doors

Tesla Motors Inc. is suing Hoerbiger Automotive Comfort Systems LLC, claiming the German supplier failed to supply a production-ready hydraulic system to actuate the doors of the new Model X electric crossover vehicle, according to several media reports.

Tesla says the problem forced it to change suppliers and delay the vehicle's launch.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Northern California on Tuesday, alleges that Hoerbiger misrepresented its ability to engineer and produce the actuation system for the Model X’s unique “falcon wing” rear doors, which swing upward. The complaint claims Hoerbiger's hydraulic lift system leaked oil, was prone to overheating and didn't open the vehicle's doors with the speed or symmetry required by Tesla.

Tesla asserts it has incurred millions of dollars in damages, including retooling costs and “premium payments” for an unidentified new supplier to expedite door production. The carmaker is seeking payments to cover actual damages, plus punitive damages and other costs and fees.

In addition, Tesla is asking the court to rule that it didn’t breach its contract with Hoerbiger to prevent the supplier from seeking additional payment beyond the $3 million it already has received for its initial door design. The lawsuit alleges that Hoerbiger has made “a series of unreasonable demands” since Tesla severed ties with the company in May 2015.

The Model X was delayed several times before its debut last September, about two years after Tesla’s original target date. The carmaker redesigned the doors with electric motors four months before the launch.