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Tesla has finally done it. Over the weekend, the company hit their milestone of producing 5,000 Model 3s in a week only a few hours after the deadline set by CEO Elon Musk - the end of the second quarter. Two Tesla factory workers told Reuters that the 5,000th Model 3 cleared final inspection around 5:00 AM PDT. “We did it!! We either found a way or, by will and inventiveness, created entirely new solutions that were thought impossible. Intense in tents. Transporting entire production lines across the world in massive cargo planes. Whatever. It worked,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk in an email to employees. “I think we just became a real car company.” Reaching this goal was quite hard for the automaker. Numerous delays and production issues caused Tesla to push back production milestones on a seemingly regular basis. The company had to build a makeshift assembly line in a tent within the past month to help bolster production. But can Tesla keep up this output? There are concerns they might not be able to do it. According to one worker, Tesla sent employees from other departments to the Model 3 production line to keep it going. This including shutting down parts of the factory such as the Model S production line. “Reaching it is one thing,” said Dave Sullivan, manager of product analysis for AutoPacific Inc to Bloomberg. “Consistently producing 5,000 per week with outstanding quality is another.” Source: Bloomberg, Reuters -
Over two years ago, hundreds of thousands of people put down $1,000 deposit to order their very own Tesla Model 3 with the hoping of getting it in 2018. Flash forward to now and a growing number of those have been asking for their money back. Second Measure, a company that analyzes billions of dollars in anonymized credit and debit card purchases to determine various trends said in a post today that 23 percent of reservation-holders have asked for a refund as of April, a noticeable increase from 12 percent last August. Contrast this with only 8 percent of holders that have configured a Model 3 for production. The remaining 69 percent is a mixture of those waiting for their turn to configure their vehicle and those who are waiting for a refund - numbers Tesla only knows. A Tesla spokesperson told Recode that their internal data "does not align" with Second Measure's data, but would not go into specifics into as to how far off. Tesla has been struggling with Model 3 production for some time, pushing back production targets several times. At the moment, Tesla is targeting "approximately 5,000 Model 3's per week in about two months." Source: Recode, Second Measure -
.Over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter and announced a new powerful version of the Model 3. The version according to Musk will cost $78,000 and will be "quicker & with better handling. The last line of Musk's tweet made us chuckle since the current Model 3 warranty doesn't permit racing and autocross. Nevertheless, it has brought up questions as to where the $35,000 Model 3 is. For a number of buyers who plopped down the $1,000 deposit, this is the model they are waiting for. Musk gave a roundabout answer to where the low-priced Model 3 is. There is some truth to Musk's madness. Tesla is burning through cash like it is going out of style. According to Bloomberg, the company used up more than a billion in the first quarter. One way Tesla raises money is rolling out their most expensive variants of the Model S, X, and 3. Once they have enough cash, they will begin production of less expensive models. But the Model 3 has proven to be very problematic for Tesla. Various delays and production issues have caused Tesla to push back production targets for the Model 3 again and again. Tesla is aiming to produce 5,000 Model 3s a week by the end of the second quarter. “The idea that it’s supposed to be a car for everyone is kind of laughable. Anyone who wanted a base model may have to wait years out,” said Ivan Drury, senior manager of industry analysis at Edmunds.com. Source: Bloomberg (Subscription Required) -
Tesla's 'production hell' is continuing on and is causing the automaker to shut down the Model 3 assembly line for almost a week. Reuters has learned from two sources that Tesla will stop production of the Model 3 from May 26th to 31st in an effort to fix the various bottlenecks on the line. A Tesla spokesperson declined to comment. Tesla warned that there would be 10 days of temporary shutdowns this quarter in an effort to try and get Model 3 production back up and running smoothly. CEO Elon Musk said the shutdowns would be used to make upgrades to reach a goal of building 5,000 Model 3s by the end of June. Already, Tesla stopped production for a few days last month, and also in February. The key problem is Tesla's over-reliance on robots for production, something Musk acknowledges. Source: Reuters -
The bad luck is continuing at Tesla. Buzzfeed News reports that Tesla has temporarily shut down the Model 3 production line at the Freemont plant for a week. Employees at Tesla tell Buzzfeed the announcement came suddenly and they have the choice of using vacation days or stay home without pay. Some will get the chance to work in other parts of the plant. A Tesla spokesperson said the shutdown is due to the company wanting to “improve automation.” This is the second time this year that Tesla has shut down the Model 3 production line. Back in late February, reports came out that Tesla had shut down the Model 3 production line. "Our Model 3 production plan includes periods of planned downtime in both Fremont and Gigafactory 1. These periods are used to improve automation and systematically address bottlenecks in order to increase production rates. This is not unusual and is in fact common in production ramps like this," said Tesla in a statement at the time. It should be noted this exact statement was issued again after news broke about the second shutdown. This comes on the heels of an interview last week with CBS' This Morning where CEO Elon Musk admitted the Model 3 had too much new technology and relied too much on robots in the production process. Source: Buzzfeed News, Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
Saturday night at Tesla's Fremont, California assembly plant was a sight to behold. "...packed with people Saturday evening as the last hours of the quarter drew to a close. Red couches and tall white tables were set up outside, a DJ played music and a truck selling Vietnamese food was on hand," Bloomberg reports. Was Tesla was celebrating an important milestone? No, the company was using this to try and motivate their workers to get more Model 3s out the door to provide some good news for investors. The past week could be considered one of the worst for the electric car maker. Moody's downgraded Tesla's credit rating further into junk status due to production issues and growing obligations. The NTSB has opened a new investigation into Tesla after a driver was killed when his Model X crashed into a barrier and caught fire. "Unclear if automated control system was active at time of crash. Issues examined include: post-crash fire, steps to make vehicle safe for removal from scene," the NTSB wrote earlier in the week. Yesterday, the NTSB said it was "unhappy" with Tesla releasing information into the crash on their blog. The NTSB has a long history of guarding their investigations very closely. Part of this is due to the board being a small agency, which means it relies quite heavily on the participants involved in an investigation. On Thursday, Tesla recalled 123,000 Model S vehicles built before April 2016 for a power-steering issue. Yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a number of tweets, saying the company had gone bankrupt. It was an April Fool's joke, but it did not go over so well. In early trading this morning, shares in Tesla dropped as much as 5.7 percent. Tesla estimated they would deliver 10,000 Model 3s by the end of the first quarter. We'll likely find out in the next few days whether or not Tesla was able to pull this off when their first-quarter report comes out. But a number of analysts believe Tesla came up short. Source: Bloomberg- 3 comments
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Tesla's production hell seems to be only getting worse than better. Various issues at their Freemont plant has caused the automaker to push back their goal of producing 5,000 Model 3s from late last year to June of this year. This, in turn, has caused some holders of Model 3 reservations to have their order pushed back to 2019. “As we work hard to meet demand, we wanted to let you know that your estimated delivery timing has been adjusted to a slightly later window,” Tesla said in an email to customers. According to Bloomberg, the new date depends on when the reservation was placed and what model was chosen. Tesla is trying to get the more expensive long-range battery model out first before starting production of the cheaper standard battery model. This has buyers of the latter model worried as they might not get the full $7,500 tax credit. The credit begins to phase out once an automaker has built 200,000, something Tesla expects to hit sometime this year. The move has caused some reservation holders to take to various forums and Twitter to complain. Others are deciding to jump ship and buy a Chevrolet Bolt. Reuters reports that Chevrolet dealers in California are seeing a noticeable increase of Tesla shoppers interested in the Bolt. “We’re getting the Tesla people who wanted their Model 3. We ask them, ‘What other cars are you interested in?’ They’re mostly Tesla. But they want the car now. They don’t want to wait,” said Yev Kaplinskiy of Stewart Chevrolet. Kaplinskiy said they sold 15 Bolts last weekend. Chevrolet is taking advantage of the delay by emailing some prospective buyers this week with the message of, “Bolt EV: Now available.” Source: Bloomberg, Reuters -
Used Tesla Model 3 Is Listed and Then Deleted Off Craigslist
William Maley posted an article in Tesla
If you happened to be perusing the Monterey, CA Craigslist this morning, you might have come across an interesting ad. Someone had posted an ad for a Tesla Model 3. The vehicle allegedly has about 2,000 miles on the odometer. Like many of Model 3s currently rolling off the production line, this is the long-range variant with a 310-mile range. Other features include a panoramic glass roof, upgraded sound system, and "Aero" wheels. The price? $150,000. Our favorite part of the ad is the last line; "THIS IS REAL." Red flag anyone? The ad has been taken down since various outlets started reporting on it. There is an interesting reason as to why. If you look at the ad, you'll notice a VIN number of 209. As Electrek notes, Tesla employees and company insiders are the only people getting Model 3s at this time. Customer deliveries are expected to begin this month. If you are a Tesla employee, there is language in the Model 3 ordering agreement that states you cannot sell a Model 3 more than the original price that you bought it for. Electrek was able to confirm this Model 3 is owned by an employee of a Tesla store in Monterey. Source: Electrek, Monterey Craigslist via Internet Archive -
Earlier this week, Tesla announced its quarterly production figures and the Model 3 is getting off to a slower start than expected. In a statement, Tesla said that it had delivered a total of 26,150 vehicles in the third quarter. Here is how it breaks down, Model S: 14,065 Units Model X: 11,865 Units Model 3: 220 Units Only 260 Model 3s were built in the third quarter. Tesla said the reason for the small production of Model 3s was due to "production bottlenecks." The company didn't go into detail as what the bottleneck is. This isn't a good start as Tesla promised to build 5,000 Model 3s by the end of the year. "It is important to emphasize that there are no fundamental issues with the Model 3 production or supply chain. We understand what needs to be fixed and we are confident of addressing the manufacturing bottleneck issues in the near-term," said Tesla. Source: Tesla Press Release is on Page 2 Tesla Q3 2017 Vehicle Deliveries and Production PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In Q3, Tesla delivered 26,150 vehicles, of which 14,065 were Model S, 11,865 were Model X, and 220 were Model 3. This was our all-time best quarter for Model S and X deliveries, representing a 4.5% increase over Q3 2016, our previous best quarter, and a 17.7% increase over Q2 2017. We had previously indicated that second half Model S and X deliveries would likely exceed first half deliveries of 47,077, but we now expect to exceed that by several thousand vehicles. In total, we expect to deliver about 100,000 Model S and X vehicles in 2017, which would be a 31% increase over 2016. In addition to Q3 deliveries, about 4,820 Model S and X vehicles were in transit to customers at the end of the quarter. These will be counted as deliveries in Q4 2017. Q3 production totaled 25,336 vehicles, with 260 of them being Model 3. Model 3 production was less than anticipated due to production bottlenecks. Although the vast majority of manufacturing subsystems at both our California car plant and our Nevada Gigafactory are able to operate at high rate, a handful have taken longer to activate than expected. It is important to emphasize that there are no fundamental issues with the Model 3 production or supply chain. We understand what needs to be fixed and we are confident of addressing the manufacturing bottleneck issues in the near-term. Our delivery count should be viewed as slightly conservative, as we only count a car as delivered if it is transferred to the customer and all paperwork is correct. Final numbers could vary by up to 0.5%. Tesla vehicle deliveries represent only one measure of the company's financial performance and should not be relied on as an indicator of quarterly financial results, which depend on a variety of factors, including the cost of sales, foreign exchange movements and mix of directly leased vehicles. -
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As Model 3s begin to arrive at Tesla dealerships, we are beginning to get some answers to some of the key questions we have. Chief among those questions deal with how the Model 3's touchscreen works. Thanks to some videos that have made their way onto the internet, we have some answers and major concerns. We know that the screen would control many functions of the vehicle, but didn't know the extent. Thanks to the video we now know that most functions are controlled through the screen. Want to change the fan speed? You need to use the touchscreen. Open the trunk? Need to use the touchscreen. If it begins raining and you need to turn on the wipers, you need to use the touchscreen. Is it just us or is this becoming a distraction disaster? We also learned that Model 3s at the moment doesn't come with either FM Radio or Bluetooth streaming. The lack of the former will likely not make most annoyed, but the latter will. If you want to listen to music at the moment, you need to use a third-party streaming service over the car's 4G internet connection. Tesla has said that an OTA update that will bring FM and Bluetooth streaming is planned, and believed to be coming soon. Source: Autoblog -
EPA Document Reveals Tesla Model 3 To Produce 258 Horsepower
William Maley posted an article in Tesla
When Tesla finally revealed the Model 3 a couple weeks, we learned about a number of items such as max range (220 or 310 if you opt for the larger battery), how fast they hit 60 mph, and what will come standard. What wasn't talked about was how big the battery was and power figures. Thanks to some EPA documents, we have some idea on both. InsideEVs found some preliminary documents dealing with the long-range Model 3 and figured out that has an 80.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack - the document says it is a 230 Ah battery pack with 350 V nominal voltage. We should note that CEO Elon Musk has said previously that the Model 3 could not take anything larger than a 75-kWh battery. But, InsideEVs says Musk could have been referring to useable, not the max capacity of the pack. We also have learned that the long-range Model 3 produces 258 horsepower. Sadly, no torque figure was given in the documents. Source: InsideEVs -
Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a surprise announcement earlier this year with the upcoming Model Y crossover using a new platform and not the one used for the Model 3. Musk has changed his tune, however. “Upon the council of my executive team . . . who reeled me back from the cliffs of insanity—much appreciated—the Model Y will in fact be using substantial carryover from Model 3 in order to bring it to market faster,” said Musk during the second quarter earnings call yesterday. How much faster? Previously, Musk said the Model Y (if that is the final name) could arrive by 2019. But during this call, Musk did not give a date - possibly a wise idea. Source: Autoblog, Car and Driver -
There really hasn't been much information about the Tesla Model 3 since CEO Elon Musk revealed the concept last March. Speculation and spy pictures revealing certain details were all we had. But last night at the automaker's Fremont, California production facility, Tesla finally spilled the beans on the Model 3 along with delivering the first 30 models. The Model 3 will begin at $35,000 and delivers a total range of 220 miles. Tesla doesn't list any power specs for the electric motor, but does mention it will hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. Six exterior colors will be available - aside from black, the other color choices add $1,000 to the bottom line. 18-inch wheels are standard while 19-inch wheels are a $1,500 option. The interior is a bit barren with the dash not featuring any visible vents and a large 15-inch screen that functions as the instrument cluster and control center for the Model 3. The list of standard equipment is quite spartan, to say the least. Textile Upholstery FM/Streaming Audio System WiFi and LTE Connectivity Dual USB Ports Dual-Zone Climate Control Front/Rear Parking Sensors and Backup Camera You also will not get a key for your Model 3. Instead, Tesla uses a smartphone app that uses Bluetooth to connect the vehicle to unlock/lock and start the vehicle. There will also be a credit-card sized near-field-communication (NFC) card that will do the same function. All Model 3s will come with the capability for Autopilot with eight cameras, forward radar, and 12 ultrasonic sensors around the vehicle. Capability is the key word as you'll need to spend $5,000 if you want active cruise control, lane keep assist, lane change assist, and self-parking. At least the system does provide collision avoidance and automatic braking. There is a fair amount of options available for the Tesla Model 3. Long Range Battery for $9,000: Brings forth a larger battery (Tesla didn't reveal the size) that increases the range to 310 miles. Acceleration drops to 5.1 seconds for the run to 60 mph. Premium Package for $5,000: Adds leather upholstery, open pore wood trim, 12-way power seats with memory, power-adjustable steering wheel, premium audio system, center console, auto-dimming and power-folding side view mirrors, and rear USB ports. Full Self-Driving Capability for $3,000: Requires the Enhanced Autopilot package and will be available at a later date. Of course, the elephants in the room about the Model 3 is whether or not Tesla can meet their ambitious production goals and if they can avoid the numerous issues that have plagued both the Model S and X. Like everyone, we'll be watching with baited breath. Source: Tesla, InsideEVs -
Lack of Information Has Model 3 Reservation Holders Anxious
William Maley posted an article in Tesla
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Hundred of thousands of people plopped down $1,000 to reserve a Tesla Model 3 last year. At the time, buyers were told not to expect their Model 3 until the end of 2018. Since then, buyers haven't been told a thing. When will their vehicle arrive? What options will be available? What will be the final price? None of these questions have been answers and some now are looking for answers. Bloomberg spoke with some people that dropped $1,000 deposit to get on the Model 3 reservation list. All of the people in the story want more information and hope they get some answers this Friday as Tesla will be holding an event to hand over the Model 3s to the first 30 customers. One key bit of information many buyers would like to know is where they fall on the reservation list. The U.S. begins to phase out $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles once an automaker has sold 200,000 vehicles. Tesla is hoping to produce 20,000 Model 3s by the end of the year. If this holds, Bloomberg projects that Tesla will cross this threshold sometime next year, leaving some buyers with a more expensive proposition. Source: Bloomberg Pic Credit: Elon Musk via Twitter -
Tesla To Only Offer Two Configuration Options For Model 3 Launch
William Maley posted an article in Tesla
If you are one of the lucky people to order their Tesla Model 3 first, you'll be somewhat disappointed in the number of options available. At Tesla's annual shareholder meeting, CEO Elon Musk said buyers of the first Model 3s will only have two configuration options; colors and wheels. This is an effort to help ramp production of the Model 3 quickly. "You just need to decide what color you want and what size wheels, at least for the initial production," said Musk. Musk went on to say there would be more options for the Model 3, but didn't give a timeframe as to when they would arrive. Also, the Model 3 would only be rear-wheel drive for the time being. An all-wheel drive option will arrive next year. Source: Reuters -
Thanks to a poster on the Model 3 Owners Club forum, we have some new and juicy information concerning the Model 3. The images posted come from an infographic being handed out to Tesla employees as "talking points" to try and sway people away from Model 3. A Tesla spokesperson confirmed to Road and Track the infographic is real and accurate. Some information listed on the infographic is already known such as a 215+ mile range and having to pay to use Tesla's Superchargers. There is also new information such as a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds (though it is unclear what is the powertrain layout is being quoted), and a total of 14 cubic feet between the front and rear cargo holds. The infographic also mentions something interesting about delivery timing - "As we continue to build out our production capacity to meet the higher number of advanced reservations, deliveries for Model 3 orders placed today are not expected until mid 2018." Source: Model 3 Owners Club, Road & Track Pic Credit: Model 3 Owners Club -
In the coming months, one of the most anticipated and important vehicles will begin rolling off the production line. The Tesla Model 3 has a lot riding on it as there are over 370,000 pre-orders for the upcoming entry-level model. This is the vehicle that can either make or break the company. So it seems quite interesting that Tesla is trying to pull attention away from this important model. During Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk expressed dismay at the lack of attention given to their flagship sedan, the Model S. "We have seen some impact of Model S orders as a function of people being confused" that Model 3 is the upgrade to Model S, Musk said on a conference call. "We want to be super clear that Model 3 is not version 3 of our car. Model 3 is essentially a smaller, more affordable version of the Model S with fewer features,” Musk went on to say. But why is Musk trying to put the spotlight back on the Model S? One only needs to look at the customer deposits for the Model S and X. In the first quarter, deposits on both models dropped 7 percent. The Model S is also getting up there in age. Let us not forget that Model S was first shown back in 2009 and didn’t enter production till 2012. Despite the numerous over-the-air updates with new technology features such as Autopilot and upgrades to the powertrain, it is still the same vehicle we saw many moons ago. Considering the types of models the Model S competes against, this isn’t a good thing. Still, the Model 3 is the current sweetheart of Tesla whether they want it to be not. Unknowingly at the time when the world to the Model 3 back in 2015, Elon Musk had opened a Pandora’s Box. Many people like Tesla because they are not like your standard automaker and this has garnered the company a cult of personality that is more common with Apple or Google, not an automaker. When the Model 3 was shown and price tag revealed to be $35,000 (without federal and state tax incentives), everyone went crazy. People who envied those with either a Model S or X would now be able to join the cool kids and enjoy the perks of owning a Tesla. With all of these pre-orders, Tesla has to get these models out quickly or face the wrath of angry buyers. But there are some serious concerns as to whether or not Tesla can meet it. For one, the company has a long track record of missing production dates. Remember how the Model X was supposed to come out in early-2014? Thanks to a number of delays, Model X production didn’t begin until the fall of 2015. But Tesla believes they have a solution to get the Model 3 in production on time. Tesla’s reasoning for skipping this step is that it brought a number of problems for the launch of the Model X. According to a source speaking to Reuters, “Tesla was unable to take any of the lessons learned from this before ordering the final production tooling,” due to a tight production deadline. "Soft tooling did very little for the program and arguably hurt things," said the source. One only needs to do a quick Google search on Model X issues to see a long list that includes massive gaps with the body panels and the futuristic Falcon Doors malfunctioning. But this is nothing new. Tesla’s build quality issues have been around for awhile and they still haven’t gotten them fully ironed out on either model. This isn’t a good sign when you’re getting to launch a model that will be produced in large quantities. If there is one thing that Tesla has proven time and time again, it has been their resilience. Despite the bad news or fault, they have always seemed to find a way out. The Model 3 will be the ultimate test of their resilience. If they can pull off the launch of the Model 3 with only a few hiccups, then it would propel the company towards a higher place. But one massive screw-up or miscalculation could put Tesla in a difficult spot, one they might not be able to get out. It makes sense that Elon Musk is trying to draw the attention away from the Model 3, but it is too late. The pandora's box has been opened and there is no way it can be shut. All eyes on are the Model 3 and Tesla just needs to ride it out. -
Tesla held their first quarter earnings call yesterday. The company reported revenue in the quarter that more than doubled and that they are on track on getting the Model 3 in production in July. But this was overshadowed by some comments made by CEO Elon Musk. "We have seen some impact of Model S orders as a function of people being confused" that Model 3 is the upgrade to Model S, Musk said on a conference call. Yes, it seems some of Tesla's prospective buyers believe the new Model 3 - the upcoming entry-level model - is the replacement for the Model S. This misconception has likely risen as Tesla has been promoting this vehicle since last July. Tesla's worry is that this misconception will draw people away from the Model S. "We want to be super clear that Model 3 is not version three of our car. Model 3 is essentially a smaller, more affordable version of the Model S with fewer features," said Musk. "The Model S will be better than Model 3. As it should be, as it's a more expensive car." Sadly, customer deposits in the first quarter don't reflect that. Deposits on the Model S and X dropped 7 percent. Source: Reuters -
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The Model 3 is Tesla's most anticipated vehicle and biggest gamble the company has undertaken. But this gamble has become more risky thanks to a decision concerning the production line. Reuters reports that Tesla is skipping a step most automakers undertake when producing a new vehicle. Prototype tools are bought in on the production line to help determine issues in terms of fit and finish. Once these issues are worked out, the prototype tools are scrapped and automakers place orders for permanent and expensive tools. But Musk told investors last month, Tesla was jumping into the permanent and expensive part first so they can meet their self-imposed volume production deadline of September. "He's pushing the envelope to see how much time and cost he can take out of the process," said Ron Harbour, a manufacturing consultant at Oliver Wyman. According to a source, this 'soft tooling' caused problems for Model X. Due to a tight timeline to get the vehicle into production, Tesla was unable to take any of the lessons learned from this before ordering the final production tooling. "Soft tooling did very little for the program and arguably hurt things," said the source. Musk said computer simulations has helped with skipping the prototype tooling stage. This move fits Elon Musk's tendency to take big gambles and do things a bit different than what is expected in the industry. Most of the time, it has paid off. The problem is if this equipment proves to be flawed in some way, it could cost Tesla millions to fix the issue and introduce production delays. "It's an experiment, certainly," said Jake Fisher from Consumer Reports. Tesla could possibly fix these errors quickly, "or it could be they have unsuspected problems they'll have a hard time dealing with." Source: Reuters -
It was only eight weeks ago when Tesla finally announced that the $35,000 Model 3 would be available to order. This news caused the internet to go crazy on this news as it would become the most affordable model in Tesla's lineup. But late this week, the Californian automaker made some changes to the Model 3 ordering process to "simplify vehicle choices and make Autopilot more affordable." On Thursday, Tesla said in a blog post that the $35,000 Model 3 - known as the Standard Range - would not be available to order online. If you want one, then you need to either find Tesla store that is still open or call the company directly. Why is this happening? (Author's Note: A quick refresher; the Model 3 Standard Range gives you 220 miles, while the Standard Plus offers 240 miles. -WM) There is some dispute to the claim of the Standard Plus outselling the Standard. In late March, The Drive reported that a number of customers have gotten text messages from Tesla saying their deliveries have been pushed back without a new delivery date. Several have reported getting calls from Tesla trying to upsell them into the Standard Plus model. In Tesla's blog post, the off-menu version of the Model 3 will see its range decreased by 10 percent when compared to the Plus model, along with "several features will be disabled via software (including our onboard music streaming service, navigation with live traffic visualization, and heated seats)." Tesla also announced that Standard customers will have the option to upgrade to the Plus at any time, along with the option for Standard Plus owners to convert their model to the Standard and get a small refund "for the difference in cost." As for pricing, the Standard Plus will now set you back $39,500 - up $2,000 over the previous Standard Plus. This is due to Tesla making Autopilot standard on all of their models. No pricing was given for the secret Model 3 Standard. “Tesla is now facing a reckoning. Between the cost cuts, waning demand for its vehicles and now making the $35,000 Model 3 much harder to buy, the company is now quietly realizing it has to play by the same rules as every other automaker,” said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis at Edmunds. But wait, there's more! Tesla also announced that it would be offering a lease for Model 3. It is a 36-month lease with mileage options ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 miles per year. But there is a big caveat to this. Unlike most leases where you can buy the car at the end of the lease, Tesla is not allowing any Model 3 customer to buy their vehicle after the lease. The automaker is planning to use them in their upcoming ride-hailing network. Source: Tesla, Bloomberg (Subscription Required) Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash -
Tesla Model 3 "Recommended" Rating Rescinded by Consumer Reports
Drew Dowdell posted an article in Tesla
Consumer Reports has rescinded the "Recommended" rating after a high number of survey responses came back with reliability complaints. Survey respondents have indicated that the electronics in the car have issues such the screen freezing or acting as though it was being touched rapidly in multiple locations. This issue would cause music to play, volume to increase to maximum, or the navigation map panning and resizing. Some owners reported issues with trim and paint, with a few, including CR themselves, experiencing a large crack in the rear glass. When the Model 3 came out in 2017 it received an initial rating of average based on the fact that it shares so much technology with the then average rated Model S. Some early adopters reported issues with braking that dropped the score to below average. Telsa issued an over-the-air update to correct the braking issue and the score returned to average. The Model S's rating has been inconsistant as Telsa has made hardware changes over the years. CR dropped the "Recommended" rating from the Model S in the fall of 2018 due to issues with the suspension. Tesla made AWD and air suspension standard on the Model S for model year 2017. The Model X has always had a below average rating and has never earned a "Recommended" largely due to problems with its falcon-wing doors. Tesla is expected to debut a new crossover this year along with the production version of its Semi-truck. -
Tesla isn't done with price cuts it seems. Bloomberg reports that the automaker has dropped the price of all Model 3 models by $1,100 - bringing the base price to $42,900. The reason cited by Tesla was the end of a customer referral program that ended up costing them more than they realize. The program gave new owners six months of free supercharging if they were referred by a friend. Those who referred a number of people got rewarded with various prizes such as getting the next-generation Tesla Roadster. This is the second price cut for Model 3 this year. Last month, Tesla instituted a $2,000 price cut on their lineup to soften the blow of the Federal Tax Credit being cut from $7,000 to $3,750. Source: Bloomberg -
A new year marks the beginning of the reduction of the federal tax credit for Tesla - from $7,500 down to $3,750. To counteract the reductions, Tesla has instituted a $2,000 price cut on all models. Here is how the pricing looks like, Model 3 $45,200, Mid-Range $52,200, Long Range $63,200, Performance Model S $77,200, 75D $95,200, 100D $134,200, P100D Model X $83,200, 75D $98,200, 100D $139,200 P100D This reduction comes on the same day that Tesla announced fourth quarter production numbers. The past few months saw Tesla making cuts in colors and equipment to help reach their goal of delivering 100,000 Model S and X vehicles by the end of this year - they narrowly missed it with 99,394 deliveries. For the Model 3, Tesla was able to deliver 145,846 vehicles in 2018. Source: Bloomberg, Tesla Tesla Q4 2018 Vehicle Production & Deliveries, Also Announcing $2,000 Price Reduction in US PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --In Q4, we produced and delivered at the rate of nearly 1,000 vehicles per day, setting new company records for both production and deliveries. Production in Q4 grew to 86,555 vehicles, 8% more than our prior all-time high in Q3. This included: 61,394 Model 3 vehicles, in line with our guidance and 15% more than Q3. 25,161 Model S and X vehicles, consistent with our long-term run rate of approximately 100,000 per year. Q4 deliveries grew to 90,700 vehicles, which was 8% more than our prior all time-high in Q3. This included 63,150 Model 3 (13% growth over Q3), 13,500 Model S, and 14,050 Model X vehicles. In 2018, we delivered a total of 245,240 vehicles: 145,846 Model 3 and 99,394 Model S and X. To put our growth into perspective, we delivered almost as many vehicles in 2018 as we did in all prior years combined. Our Q4 Model 3 deliveries were limited to mid- and higher-priced variants, cash/loan transactions, and North American customers only. More than three quarters of Model 3 orders in Q4 came from new customers, rather than reservation holders. There remain significant opportunities to continue to grow Model 3 sales by expanding to international markets, introducing lower-priced variants and offering leasing. International deliveries in Europe and China will start in February 2019. Expansion of Model 3 sales to other markets, including with a right-hand drive variant, will occur later in 2019. 1,010 Model 3 vehicles and 1,897 Model S and X vehicles were in transit to customers at the end of Q4, and will be delivered in early Q1 2019. Our inventory levels remain the smallest in the automotive industry, and we were able to reduce vehicles in transit to customers by significantly improving our logistics system in North America. Moving beyond the success of Q4, we are taking steps to partially absorb the reduction of the federal EV tax credit (which, as of January 1st, dropped from $7,500 to $3,750). Starting today, we are reducing the price of Model S, Model X and Model 3 vehicles in the U.S. by $2,000. Customers can apply to receive the $3,750 federal tax credit for new deliveries starting on January 1, 2019, and may also be eligible for several state and local electric vehicle and utility incentives, which range up to $4,000. Combined with the reduced costs of maintenance and of charging a Tesla versus paying for gas at the pump – which can result in up to $100 per month or more in savings – this means our vehicles are even more affordable than similarly priced gasoline vehicles. Tesla’s achievements in 2018 likely represent the biggest single-year growth in the history of the automotive industry. We started the year with a delivery run rate of about 120,000 vehicles per year and ended it at more than 350,000 vehicles per year – an increase of almost 3X. As a result, we’re starting to make a tangible impact on accelerating the world to sustainable energy. Additionally, 2018 was the first time in decades that an American car – the Model 3 – was the best-selling premium vehicle in the U.S. for the full year, with U.S. sales of Model 3 roughly double those of the runner up. We want to thank our customers, suppliers, investors, and especially our employees, who worked so hard to accomplish this. -
The Tesla Model 3 nearly broke into the top 10 best selling vehicles in Europe for September 2019, missing the mark by just 217 units. Overall, sales growth in the EU is strong with 14 markets reporting positive numbers. Germany came in at 9.1 percent and Italy came in at 6.5 percent. Battery electric vehicles were up sharply, increasing 119 percent, of which Tesla controlled nearly 50% of that number. Total Tesla registrations were 19,500 out of the 40,700 BEVs registered. That put the Tesla Model 3 as the best selling BEV in Europe. For September, the Volkwagen Golf was the best selling vehicle in Europe with 32,398 units registered. Tesla shares jumped 18 percent yesterday after a surprise profit for Q3 of $1.86 per share, up from an expected loss of 42 cents per share. -
As Model 3s begin to arrive at Tesla dealerships, we are beginning to get some answers to some of the key questions we have. Chief among those questions deal with how the Model 3's touchscreen works. Thanks to some videos that have made their way onto the internet, we have some answers and major concerns. We know that the screen would control many functions of the vehicle, but didn't know the extent. Thanks to the video we now know that most functions are controlled through the screen. Want to change the fan speed? You need to use the touchscreen. Open the trunk? Need to use the touchscreen. If it begins raining and you need to turn on the wipers, you need to use the touchscreen. Is it just us or is this becoming a distraction disaster? We also learned that Model 3s at the moment doesn't come with either FM Radio or Bluetooth streaming. The lack of the former will likely not make most annoyed, but the latter will. If you want to listen to music at the moment, you need to use a third-party streaming service over the car's 4G internet connection. Tesla has said that an OTA update that will bring FM and Bluetooth streaming is planned, and believed to be coming soon. Source: Autoblog View full article
