Tuesday 12 May 2026 11:52 EDT Bookmark Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Tesla has been forced to recall all rear-wheel-drive Cybertrucks sold over the last two years due to the risk of wheels falling off. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned that fragile stud holes could cause the wheel stud to separate from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. “On affected vehicles, higher severity road perturbations and cornering may strain the stud hole in the wheel rotor, causing cracks to form,” the NHTSA stated in its recall notice. “If cracking propagates with continued use and strain, the wheel stud could eventually separate from the wheel hub... Wheel hub separation can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of crash.” Elon Musk’s company will need to replace the hubs, lug nuts and front and rear brake rotors on all affected vehicles at no cost to vehicle owners. Poor Cybertruck sales mean that only 173 of the stainless steel pickup trucks will actually need to be recalled. Ahead of the vehicle’s launch, Musk predicted that Tesla would be selling 250,000 Cybertrucks annually by 2025. The actual figure turned out to be just over 20,000 Cybertrucks sold last year. Recent registration data from S&P Global Mobility revealed that Musk’s SpaceX is the largest buyer of Cybertrucks, purchasing nearly one in five of all vehicles sold in the US in the fourth quarter of 2025. Despite SpaceX propping up Cybertruck sales, the number of registrations continues to fall in the fourth quarter.