I disagree. On the earnings call, someone I forget who said that the pick up rates for AWD was significantly higher than they expected. The increase in delivery speed was simply because of the ramp, made even more significant due to the delayed deliveries at the end of Q2.
As for them finding another way to get requests, it's definitely not that simple. In one of my hobbies, short run replacement parts are the norm. The manufacturers used to do interest surveys to remake parts for, and it was a mess. They would sometimes end up making and having an extra 250 parts that no one was buying, and other times would sell out immediately with people complaining they didn't get a chance to order.
They changed that to a system where you paid a deposit to secure your reservation. The system got far better, with less overages and quicker parts being made.
How I see this having happened, Tesla figured they had produced enough RWD to mostly satisfy demand. They had a guess about how many AWD cars would be ordered, and we're surprised to see the pick up rate as high as it was.
I think if they had to do it again, they would have waited to open AWD to everyone, but knowing demand and having people who have committed by putting down money on their specific configuration will help for part ordering and delivery. I am a later reservation, but I figured based on my configuration date and time I'd have my car relatively soon. As of this point, I don't think I was right, but I have seen people who reserved my identical car after me get them, and while I'd totally like my car last month, I think I'll get it as soon as possible. The AWD VIN thing is filling up with people that are getting them. Ours have to come soon.
