Tesla opens new flagship store in Boston’s Prudential Tower

Earlier this year, Tesla confirmed that it is trying to open one new retail location every four days until the end of the year in order to grow its retail presence of already more than 260 stores. CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla would focus on the Northeast region of the US, which he referred to as an “underpenetrated” market for the company.

Today, Tesla opened a new flagship location in the final phase of Boston’s Prudential Tower.

Earlier this year, we reported that Tesla would be moving its small gallery in the Prudential Center on the Boylston Arcade side of the complex to a better location.

Tesla has now moved to a bigger and more sought-after location on the Back Bay side entrance of the Prudential Tower.

The store is more in line with Tesla’s strategy to establish retail locations in high foot traffic areas in upscale neighborhoods. In Mexico, Tesla recently opened a store in the sumptuous Palacio de Hierro Polanco. In Taiwan, the automaker is opening a location in Taipei’s upscale Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store. Tesla also opened a store in South Korea’s largest shopping mall last month.

Instead of being hidden deep inside the center, this new location in Boston is right at the entrance of the Prudential center (hat tip to SB for the picture):

It’s big enough to fit 4 vehicles, currently 2 Model S sedans and 2 Model X SUVs.

Despite this new location and few others that recently opened, the northeast remains “underpenetrated” – especially when it comes to service centers:

Tesla can currently compensate by sending out Tesla Rangers (Tesla’s mobile repair service) when owners need service far from its service centers, but the service will be more difficult to scale when the Model 3 comes to market and vehicles are added to Tesla’s fleet in more significant numbers.

The company expects the number of stores and service centers to go up to 450 by the time the Model 3 hits the market in 2017.