Tesla Cybertruck production is at the center of a legal dispute after Tesla sued supplier Angstrom Automotive Group LLC, alleging the company is withholding manufacturing tooling that the automaker says is essential to building the electric pickup. Court documents reviewed by Bloomberg Law indicate Tesla is seeking immediate access to the equipment, arguing that delays could disrupt production and deliveries.

Tesla Alleges Supplier Is Withholding Critical Cybertruck Tooling

According to court documents seen by Bloomberg Law, Tesla claims Angstrom Automotive Group LLC is refusing to release production tooling used to manufacture Cybertruck parts. The lawsuit alleges that the supplier is demanding $250,000 per week for equipment that Tesla says it should have been allowed to remove from Angstrom’s Troy, Texas, facility before operations there ceased.

The dispute has now reached the court system, highlighting Tesla’s effort to recover the tooling.

Complaint Details Failed Attempt to Retrieve Equipment

In a complaint filed on July 23 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division, Tesla says it sent representatives to Angstrom’s Troy facility on July 21 to collect the Cybertruck tooling. According to the filing, those representatives were turned away.

Tesla argues that Angstrom has never owned the tooling and did not invest in its design, manufacture, or acquisition. The company also states that the equipment was designed specifically to manufacture Cybertruck parts and therefore has little or no value to anyone else.

The lawsuit further claims that each tooling component requires five to six months to produce. Tesla says replacing the equipment would be both costly and time-consuming, creating a risk of delays to Cybertruck production and delivery plans.

Tesla Warns of Production and Delivery Delays

The complaint states that without the tooling, Tesla would be unable to manufacture several thousand Cybertrucks that are either currently in production or planned for production.

“Without the tooling, Tesla will be unable to manufacture several thousand Cybertrucks that are currently in or planned for production, most, if not all, of which are already committed to customers,” the lawsuit states.

Tesla’s attorneys also argue that the resulting parts shortage “would cause irreparable harm for Tesla and others.”

As part of the lawsuit, Tesla says it is entitled to “temporary and/or permanent injunctive relief or other equitable relief to obtain the tooling without the necessity of posting any bond or proof of action, injury, or damage” if Angstrom does not allow the company to retrieve the equipment.

Legal Dispute Centers on Critical Manufacturing Equipment

The lawsuit underscores the importance Tesla places on recovering the disputed tooling, which the company identifies as essential to Cybertruck production. Tesla contends that the equipment is necessary to maintain its manufacturing and delivery plans and is seeking court-ordered relief to regain access to the tooling.