Tesla Inc. says Austin-based production of the Cybertruck could be threatened within days by a supplier it says is holding critical parts and tooling “for ransom.”
The Austin automaker has filed a federal lawsuit and is asking a federal judge in Waco for an emergency hearing to regain access to custom tooling it says it owns and the parts the machines have produced, both of which are now under the control of Michigan-based Angstrom Automotive Group.
“No other supplier in the world can presently manufacture these components,” Tesla said in its suit, adding that “its on-hand supply of the components produced by the Tooling is dwindling and will be exhausted in mere days.”
Angstrom Automotive’s plant in Troy, which is about 25 miles south of Waco, also produces some parts for the Model Y, which is also built at Gigafactory Texas.
Tesla alleges that Angstrom Automotive has threatened to shut down the plant unless it receives an additional $250,000 per week.
“Angstrom is deliberately exploiting Tesla’s attempts to retrieve the Tesla Tooling to exert commercial pressure, effectively holding Tesla’s own property for ransom,” Tesla said.
Angstrom Automotive acquired the plant last year from Anderton Casting LLC.
Tesla says it had previously paid Anderton Casting both for parts and the custom devices, or tooling, that allow them to be manufactured. It wants thos devices back, but says Angstrom has refused it access to recover them.
If true, the dispute could present a critical problem for production of Cybertruck, which has been plagued by low sales. Tesla says the vehicles that are going to be impacted are thousands already committed to customers.
Tesla doesn’t break out sales for Cybertruck in its deliveries data but media reports suggest the angular electric truck sold just more than 20,000 units in 2025, a 48% decline from the previous year, continuing disappointing sales for the model. The entire electric truck market was down last year. Ford discontinued its F-150 Lightning, the most popular vehicle in that market, due to declining sales.
In its request for an emergency hearing, Tesla said Angstrom Automotive has physically barred its recovery teams from picking up the machines it wants, which include die-cast tools, trim dies, fixtures, cutting tools, gauges, pin presses and X-ray equipment. The machines weigh tons and would take as long as six months to reproduce, according to the lawsuit complaint.
Attorneys for Angstrom Automotive did not respond to emails seeking comment. Tesla’s attorneys did not respond to a list of questions sent ahead of publication.