Massive Tesla Model 3 shipment spotted in transit ahead of critical end of the quarter

Tesla is now reportedly producing Model 3 at a rate of over 3,500 units per week and it is attempting to push that to 5,000 units by the end of the month.

Where those vehicles are going is also highly important as Tesla is about to hits its 200,000th delivery in the US, which would trigger the phase-out of the federal tax credit.

Now ‘almost 1,000’ Model 3 vehicles were spotted stored near a rail track ahead of the end of the quarter.

As we previously reported, once an automaker delivers its 200,000th electric car in the US, the $7,500 tax credit starts to phase by being cut in half after the end of the quarter following the quarter in which a manufacturer delivered the 200,000th electric car.

It means that automakers should focus to deliver the 200,000th vehicle at the very beginning of a quarter to optimize access to the credit for their buyers.

Based on the delivery rate and market share, we predicted that Tesla would deliver its 200,000th vehicle in the US in the second quarter – unless Tesla changes its usual delivery plan to delay US deliveries.

We have been looking at signs of this potential change in strategy and they are now starting to add up.

Tesla delayed some Model 3 deliveries in the US last month and started massive shipments of Model 3 vehicles in Canada.

Two signs that Tesla is optimizing deliveries to get that 200,000th vehicle in the third quarter.

Now a reader spotted what he estimates to be “almost 1,000” Model 3 vehicles being stored near a rail road in Point Richmond. He sent us a few pictures:

Electrek’s Take

For consumers, it’s a bummer that Tesla doesn’t explain clearly how they see the phase-out of the tax credit play out exactly.

From a business standpoint, it’s more understandable. Tesla will never admit that they are trying to optimize tax credit access because all the headlines would be “Tesla admits to trying to squeeze more money from taxpayers” and other similar accusations even though it’s perfectly fair within the rules of the tax credit, and every other automaker will likely do the same once they get to their 200,000th US EV delivery.

But it’s still very important to many American buyers.

If you want my opinion, I am now highly confident that the 200,000th US delivery is being pushed to Q3 and therefore, the full tax credit is going to be available for all 2018 deliveries.

I see Tesla having a lot of Model 3 vehicles in transit at the end of the quarter with those large shipments of vehicles leaving on rails during the last week.

While it might result in a lower number of deliveries in Q2, some Model 3 reservation holders in the US have taken the tax credit into account when reserving the vehicle 2 years ago and Tesla can’t let them down.