In a wide ranging interview with Gayle King of CBS News, Elon Musk talked about Model 3 production, sleeping at the factory, and regulations on social media. See the video for a first-hand look at the Model 3 production line.
Those pursuing a short-selling strategy of Tesla stock have raised their bets against the company by 10% since mid-March, due to the idea that the firm is facing problems and that the market was overly optimistic about Tesla-fueled disruption, according to the firm S3 Partners (financial analytics).
As Liza Minnelli sung in Cabaret: “Money, Money, Money makes the world go around.” Tesla needs cash, lots of cash. There are many panicky stories of the cash squeeze Tesla is going to experience. Those stories are not only appearing on Seeking Alpha, even Moody’s is starting to believe and repeat them. That is a serious situation because the Moody’s investors service is supposed to know what it’s talking about. They are essentially saying: “We see risks, we see opportunities, but we don’t know whether there is solid ground in the near future. This uncertainty forces us to downgrade Tesla until we know more about the financial results and expectations.”
Tesla says it built 34,494 cars in the first quarter of 2018 — its best quarter ever. Model 3 production was slightly less than predicted but was ramping up strongly toward the end of the quarter.
Tesla is doomed, doomed I tell you. When the real carmakers with their century of experience start making electric cars, it is over for Tesla. Ford, VW, and Toyota are so much better. Etc., etc. ……… . How often have we heard comments like this? In a couple of previous articles, I compared the ramp of the Tesla Model 3 to the ramp of the Chevy Bolt. Tesla is clearly as good as or better than GM in bringing electric cars to production.
The whole world is talking about Tesla’s inability to produce cars, Elon Musk’s unrealistic timelines, and “broken promises.” But the facts are different:
A recently revealed internal email, from Tesla Senior Vice President of Engineering Doug Fields to employees at the company, featured the comment that daily production rates were now “well into the 200’s on every single line.” That is, the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 production lines were all now churning out well over 200 units a day, each. (No, the Model Y isn’t making the cut yet.)
Tesla is facing an existential crisis this weekend as it races to meet its goal of building 2,500 Model 3 sedans a week by the end of the first quarter. In New York, a new bill would allow it to open 20 more stores and the company is recalling 123,000 Model S sedans for broken power steering bolts.
Of course. Everyone would know. A drone would surely record its birth. The VIN would be known in a mere seconds. Local gnomes would carefully examine the fit & finish and measure any panel gaps.
Bloomberg reports it is seeing a late surge in Tesla Model 3 production as we head into the final week of Q1. It now estimates Tesla is building well over 1,000 cars a week on the Model 3 assembly line.
