Tesla, like other automakers, builds cars for inventory in addition to fulfilling custom orders. There can be several reasons why a Tesla build might go into inventory instead of being delivered to fill an existing customer order, even if it's an exact match. Some of these reasons include:
- Geographic location: Tesla builds cars in batches for specific regions. A vehicle that matches a customer's order may be produced, but it could be in a different region, making it logistically inefficient or expensive to transport to the customer.
- Production planning: To optimize production efficiency, Tesla may produce a batch of vehicles with similar configurations at once, even if there are no immediate matching orders. These vehicles then go into inventory and are available for sale to new customers or as test drive vehicles at Tesla stores.
- Cancellations and order changes: Customers may cancel or modify their orders after production has started, resulting in completed vehicles that no longer have a corresponding customer. These vehicles then become available in Tesla's inventory.
- Demo and loaner vehicles: Tesla may allocate some vehicles to be used as demo models or loaner cars for service centers. These vehicles may eventually be sold as inventory or certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles after they've been used for a certain period or mileage.
- Order prioritization: Tesla might prioritize the production and delivery of certain vehicles based on factors such as demand, profitability, or strategic goals. For example, Tesla could prioritize the production of higher-margin variants, resulting in lower-margin configurations being temporarily placed in inventory.
In summary, Tesla's production and delivery process is a complex operation that needs to balance multiple factors, such as customer demand, production efficiency, and logistical constraints. Sometimes, this may result in vehicles being placed in inventory instead of immediately fulfilling existing customer orders, even if they are an exact match.