As we previously reported, Tesla appears to have a logistics issue as the Model 3 production ramps up. Deliveries are becoming the bottleneck and cars are stuck in transit for long periods of time.
Now Tesla is testing a way to alleviate the issue for local deliveries with a direct factory-to-customer delivery system, which Elon Musk personally tested with a Model 3 delivery.
In the past few weeks after Tesla achieved its Model 3 production milestone of 5,000 units in a week, parking lots full of Tesla Model 3 vehicles have been spotted around California and Tesla naysayers and shorts are framing the discoveries as the automaker stockpiling vehicles due to a lack of demand.
But we reported that the lots are used as staging areas for loading up vehicles coming out of the factory and going to stores and delivery hubs for customer deliveries.
This is likely a result of Tesla’s entire delivery process not supporting the new production rate at the Fremont factory.
Now Musk says that they are testing “a new delivery system using an enclosed trailer straight from factory to owner’s home”.
He came along for what appeared to be the first delivery with this new system for Tesla:
When @elonmusk hand delivers your #Teslamodel3 😎👊🏼⚡️ thanks to the #Tesla team for an unforgettable day!! pic.twitter.com/Xr4MI7x8TM
— Devin Scott (@MichiganMan2007) July 30, 2018
Tesla has been offering home deliveries for a while, but they were apparently not direct from the factory, which is what is new here.
The system enables Tesla to skip a few steps like waiting for a truck to load several vehicles, going to a Tesla store or delivery hub, and sitting in transit in between.
Tesla is also testing other ways to make its delivery process more efficient, like getting Model 3 buyers out the door in 5 mins during delivery with videos replacing the delivery walkthrough.
Electrek’s Take
It’s an interesting approach from Tesla, but it also comes with some drawbacks. The timing of the delivery needs to be timely or the car will sit in transit at the factory anyway after coming off the line.
Also, it is obviously limited to a radius relatively close to Fremont factory, which to be fair represents one of Tesla’s biggest markets, but it’s still just one of many markets.
Therefore, while I can see how it could help with Tesla’s current logistics issues, I don’t think it’s nowhere near a full solution to the bigger problem.
What do you guys think? Let us know in the comment section below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments