We can only speculate (unless someone can actually get info from Tesla - ha!) but why do we think there are delays for new orders?
1) chip shortage
2) retooling line for right hand steering
3) revamping line for model X production
4) other materials shortage
5) problems with S (maybe related to the hold, or related to the dusty 450?) I still think the hold was firmware for differing chips.
some of my conjecture is Tesla may want to push out some Model X's so they can say they CAN produce them, versus say, only producing S's in quantity and NO X's at all. Not sure if it helps them from an optics standpoint, share value standpoint, or something else.
The X is also more expensive than the S, so maybe there's more profit there as well.
If there's a limited amount of chips, that may be a bottleneck, so then the question is "do you continue to build S's that you have a new history with, or build Model X's that may need some different firmware, etc." - so where do you allocate the resources - physical and intellectual?
I don't know how important exporting is to domestic deliveries - if folks in other countries start to see cars come in, perhaps they'll retain hope and orders; versus folks saying, "more delays? i'm getting a Lucid" or whatever is an EV that is likely to ship, or even "I'll get another ICE and consider a hybrid for my next car"
I have no idea how long it would take to revamp the S line to make the X's if they indeed have to do that - that would mean what, reprogramming robots, presses, different dashes or parts - unless parts come preassembled from vendors or other areas, and unless there's a real shortage, Can the line be retooled in a day? a week? (not to mention programming the robots initially is probably a huge ordeal, and then I don't know if there are calibration issues - if calibrated for the S, do they have to be recalibrated for the X? (I imagine not - I think the robots are stationary and the X may have the same "reach" - but if there was a hugely difference size, perhaps they would have to physically move the robots a foot or whatever and then calibrate). I have to imagine it is far simpler to keep building the S's.
I'm not sure what kind of divergence in the line is needed to shift from the LR to the Plaid - different rear, spoiler, badge, and firmware (and even that may only be a minimal subsection) - i don't know if there is a common area on the line, the powertrains are installed, something indicates it is a Plaid for the firmware, badge and spoiler, and then perhaps the LR and Plaid can continue again on the same rest of the line.
I imagine the badge and spoiler have to go on last - so there must be some way to differentiate the cars - maybe something on the inside.
Maybe the rear powertrain sends a computer code so the firmware knows whether to act as an LR or a Plaid. If it is super automated, once the power train is in, it can continue on the same line until the very end - then maybe the factory mode on the display shows whether it is a plaid or LR for the bade and spoiler.
Just some thoughts...
