Do SCTY employees now get priority if they reserve a Model 3?

[Jason Bourne]

Now that the TSLA SCTY acquisition has been approved, I've been wondering if SolarCity employees - who are becoming Tesla employees - could reserve a Model 3, and go right to the front of the line along with other Tesla employees. I understand that no one can answer that right now, but an interesting discussion.

If that were to happen, it could annoy/anger non-employee reservation holders because it pushes them back farther. But if Tesla doesn't allow it, they would not be true to their word.

 

[JeffK]

Now that the TSLA SCTY acquisition has been approved, I've been wondering if SolarCity employees - who are becoming Tesla employees - could reserve a Model 3, and go right to the front of the line along with other Tesla employees. I understand that no one can answer that right now, but an interesting discussion.

If that were to happen, it could annoy/anger non-employee reservation holders because it pushes them back farther. But if Tesla doesn't allow it, they would not be true to their word.

I'd imagine to a large degree it's going to be based on reservation time. As you know Tesla employees were able to register a few weeks earlier than the general public. That's all said and done already.

I don't think employees are magically shuffled to the front of the line... I believe they are already there. I do not think SolarCity employees will receive special treatment... Although SpaceX employees were eligible to make early reservations as well.

Keep in mind geographically the majority of Tesla and SpaceX employees are in the same place.

 

[Dan Detweiler]

As a non employee reservation holder, personally, I would not begrudge a Solar City/Tesla employee jumping ahead of me...but I am probably in the minority.

Dan

 

[vwtodd]

On top of employee order, Elon mentioned that the first batch of cars would be delivered to customers in close proximity to Fremont so that any bugs could get immediately fixed/squashed at the factory. Personally, I'm fine waiting a bit longer for a v1.01 product (and would be fine if I were close to Fremont and having things repaired early, all in the name of a better product)

 

[Frank99]

No problem with Solar City employees getting priority. Now, if I can just figure our how to get Tesla to acquire my company...

 

[BluestarE3]

What about Grohmann Engineering employees, will they get priority when European deliveries start?

 

[Jason Bourne]

I'd imagine to a large degree it's going to be based on reservation time. As you know Tesla employees were able to register a few weeks earlier than the general public. That's all said and done already.

I don't think employees are magically shuffled to the front of the line... I believe they are already there. I do not think SolarCity employees will receive special treatment... Although SpaceX employees were eligible to make early reservations as well.

Keep in mind geographically the majority of Tesla and SpaceX employees are in the same place.

So are you saying that Tesla employees only get priority because they were able to reserve earlier? But once reseration become processed orders, all geographically local orders will be processed similarly?

 

[BluestarE3]

So are you saying that Tesla employees only get priority because they were able to reserve earlier? But once reseration become processed orders, all geographically local orders will be processed similarly?

I think that's a fair assessment. New employees and newly acquired employees jumping the queue would be too difficult to manage (and probably bad for PR). Tesla and SpaceX employees had their early window of opportunity by being able to reserve ahead of the hoi polloi and get more favorable spots in the queue.

 

[Canuck]

Tesla also said that highly optioned Model 3 vehicles that will be produced first so I think any employee ordering a base model, or not many options, will be get the first of the base models, but will be behind general reservation holders who max out the options.

 

[S3XY]

Tesla also said that highly optioned Model 3 vehicles that will be produced first so I think any employee ordering a base model, or not many options, will be get the first of the base models, but will be behind general reservation holders who max out the options.

I'd be surprised if this were the case. I think being an employee takes precedent over all other factors. They want to keep all of the early production issues close in proximity and also close to the vest.

 

[kzod]

Maybe Bob & Doug Mckenzie will get the first cars! Oh wait, that's SCTV not SCTY

 

[tsla007]

No. Only if they ordered in the first month.

 

[dsvick]

I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Solar City employees have not already reserved, and even if they weren't allowed to reserve when the regular employees did, I think they'll get moved to the front of the queue anyway.

A good reason for employees to get their vehicles first, regardless of configuration, is that they are less likely to complain about defects or other issues while they are being fixed. The reason configuration won't matter is because they'll need to produce vehicles with as many possible configurations in order to troubleshoot as much as they can. I would not be surprised if the entire first month or so of production is employees, once they have any initial problems corrected they'll start producing for everyone else.

 

[Topher]

Tesla also said that highly optioned Model 3 vehicles that will be produced first so I think any employee ordering a base model, or not many options, will be get the first of the base models, but will be behind general reservation holders who max out the options.

That seems really unlikely. Even if Tesla decides to keep early delivery of high options, they probably won't even have people configure until the employees cars are in production.

A good reason for employees to get their vehicles first, regardless of configuration, is that they are less likely to complain about defects or other issues while they are being fixed.

I think Elon is hoping for exactly the opposite. Get those employees to complain about every little thing so it gets fixed before going out the the general public. Another reason why high optioned cars won't precede them.

Thank you kindly.

 

[dsvick]

I think Elon is hoping for exactly the opposite. Get those employees to complain about every little thing so it gets fixed before going out the the general public. Another reason why high optioned cars won't precede them.

Thank you kindly.

You're right, I should have been more clear, I meant publicly complain. I'd bet that when the employees take delivery they'll be instructed to make note of everything and bring them in for inspection/correction at the drop of a hat.

 

[Canuck]

I'd be surprised if this were the case. I think being an employee takes precedent over all other factors. They want to keep all of the early production issues close in proximity and also close to the vest.

Employees take precedent over all other factors? Where have you worked?

I'd be surprised if employees takes precedent over money. Tesla is deeply in debt and, in my view, money always takes precedent over all over factors in business.

This is Tesla's official statement regarding production of the Model 3:

“Our default plan as we have done in the past is that the initial sales are relatively highly optioned versions of the car, because we’ve got to pay back the investment of the tooling and everything, so it makes sense to have the higher optioned versions first. That’s what we did with the S and obviously again with the X.”

That seems really unlikely. Even if Tesla decides to keep early delivery of high options, they probably won't even have people configure until the employees cars are in production.

To me, it seems really unlikely that Tesla will be making lower optioned versions for employees as the first vehicles on the road. Tesla never promised that to their employees. These vehicles are not given to employees. They are sold to them. Tesla said "initial sales are relatively highly optioned versions of the car" so what you think is "really unlikely" is what Tesla has said. Plus, if you want to risk losing high-end purchases, there's no better way to do it than to pump out lower optioned versions. I don't think you realize how much Tesla is hurting for cash and how much is riding on the success of the Model 3. I can't possibly see Tesla first putting on the road, for the public to see, a bunch of a few optioned Model 3's because that is obviously what most employees will order -- as will the general public.

 

[dsvick]

I'd be surprised if employees takes precedent over money. Tesla is deeply in debt and, in my view, money always takes precedent over all over factors in business.

To me, it seems really unlikely that Tesla will be making lower optioned versions for employees as the first vehicles on the road. Tesla never promised that to their employees. These vehicles are not given to employees. They are sold to them. Tesla said "initial sales are relatively highly optioned versions of the car" so what you think is "really unlikely" is what Tesla has said. Plus, if you want to risk losing high-end purchases, there's no better way to do it than to pump out lower optioned versions. I don't think you realize how much Tesla is hurting for cash and how much is riding on the success of the Model 3. I can't possibly see Tesla first putting on the road, for the public to see, a bunch of a few optioned Model 3's because that is obviously what most employees will order -- as will the general public.

Given the number of reservations and the revised timeline for the ramp up I don't think that it is anywhere near as important that they produce the highly optioned ones first. Sure, if they were talking about numbers of just a few thousand a month it would be important, but they are aiming for 100 - 200,000 in 2017 and close to 500,000 in 2018. I know that they initially said that that was how they were going to do it however, that was before the first reveal and I suspect that they have already re-evaluated that and the only thing based on configuration will be grouping for efficiency.

 

[Topher]

Employees take precedent over all other factors?

Absolutely. Smart Companies ALWAYS send product to in-house beta-testers BEFORE their customers with the highest expectations. We used to call it 'eating your own dog food'.

And, in fact, this is what Elon said.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Canuck]

From CleanTechnica:

Tesla employees and owners who live near Fremont, CA, and who order a fully loaded performance model may get their cars in 2017 or early 2018.

Absolutely. Smart Companies ALWAYS send product to in-house beta-testers BEFORE their customers with the highest expectations. We used to call it 'eating your own dog food'. And, in fact, this is what Elon said.

Thank you kindly.

We're not talking about "sending" products to in-house beta testers. We're talking about selling a product to employees.

Please tell me the name of one company that SELLS products to their employees as beta testing?

Thank you kindly.

"Take that, you dirty jackwagon."

 

[Topher]

Tesla never promised that to their employees.

Yes. They did.
Tesla Model 3 reservations will begin early for employees, without discounts (Updated)

Thank you kindly.