Dozens of Tesla transporters visible on CA/AZ highways

[ecarfan]

For the past two days I’ve been driving from Flagstaff AZ back to my home near San Francisco. Yesterday, between Flagstaff AZ and Barstow CA I saw 21 Tesla transporters eastbound on I40. Today I saw 35 Tesla transporters eastbound on CA58 and southbound on I5. And of course there were certainly more that I didn’t see along my route because I stopped several times to charge or I simply missed them because I was focused on driving not on looking towards the other side of the road (I was towing so did not have the luxury of Autopilot).

I was stunned by the number transporters I was seeing. What a contrast from 5 years ago when drove my first Tesla, a Model S, from SF to LA. At that time I doubt I saw more than 25 Teslas that entire route. Now I’m seeing more Tesla transporters packed with cars than I used to see individual cars on the road.

 

[Dan Detweiler]

Makes perfect sense (unless you are a Tesla analyst). First two months of the quarter, throw all your production into your new European market (low domestic deliveries). Last month of the quarter, shut down European deliveries to limit the number of cars in transit at the end of the quarter and push domestic deliveries. Why is this so obvious but the "professionals" are clueless to the strategy?

Dan

 

[DOCAL]

Makes perfect sense (unless you are a Tesla analyst). First two months of the quarter, throw all your production into your new European market (low domestic deliveries). Last month of the quarter, shut down European deliveries to limit the number of cars in transit at the end of the quarter and push domestic deliveries. Why is this so obvious but the "professionals" are clueless to the strategy?

I drive past the Fremont delivery center on my way to work. Jan/Feb it was dead, the last couple of weeks I've seen more and more carriers full of new cars in the morning, and carriers full of non-Tesla cars in the evening.

 

[ArizonaP85]

For the past two days I’ve been driving from Flagstaff AZ back to my home near San Francisco. Yesterday, between Flagstaff AZ and Barstow CA I saw 21 Tesla transporters eastbound on I40. Today I saw 35 Tesla transporters eastbound on CA58 and southbound on I5. And of course there were certainly more that I didn’t see along my route because I stopped several times to charge or I simply missed them because I was focused on driving not on looking towards the other side of the road (I was towing so did not have the luxury of Autopilot).

I was stunned by the number transporters I was seeing. What a contrast from 5 years ago when drove my first Tesla, a Model S, from SF to LA. At that time I doubt I saw more than 25 Teslas that entire route. Now I’m seeing more Tesla transporters packed with cars than I used to see individual cars on the road.

Early yesterday (from 8 am to before 11 am) I saw 9 full transporters on the 200 mile drive from Kingman to Barstow on I-40. I was surprised to see so many that early in the day, considering the drive from Fremont.

It's great to see so many more Teslas on the way to new owners but sad to see continued reliance on expensive long-distance trucking instead of a more stable logistics system using slower but much cheaper rail transport. This is almost certainly caused by end-of-quarter financial reporting pressures.

 

[SMAlset]

I posted elsewhere that over the weekend we were on 101 near Gilroy (south of Fremont) and saw a southbound car carrier loaded with Model 3s. Figure either headed south down 101 or cutting over to the I-5 central valley. It was good to see and yes 3rd month of the 1st quarter are usually the local deliveries.

 

[SMAlset]

Early yesterday (from 8 am to before 11 am) I saw 9 full transporters on the 200 mile drive from Kingman to Barstow on I-40. I was surprised to see so many that early in the day, considering the drive from Fremont.

It's great to see so many more Teslas on the way to new owners but sad to see continued reliance on expensive long-distance trucking instead of a more stable logistics system using slower but much cheaper rail transport. This is almost certainly caused by end-of-quarter financial reporting pressures.

Tesla bought the car carriers if you missed the news. They got burned last quarter competing for rail and carriers. Rail is tough as you’re probably at their whim and schedule. Own the carriers and you tell them when and where to go.

 

[2012MS85]

I saw several carriers full of Teslas heading east on I90 and I80 as I was driving my 3 back from the Boston area. Using Navigate on Autopilot made my 2,500 round trip trek a joy to drive. EAP gives the driver lots of time to sightsee and enjoy the scenery (including all the new Teslas arriving for more happy customers