I agree with the point about their manufacturing efficiency. However, that doesn’t transpose to experience and ultimately quality. How many times have we hear from Tesla their upcoming innovation cut cost by reducing X or Y. Primary example is the Model Y. It was hailed as an innovative feat by reducing some hundreds of yards of cabling used in the vehicle. The single casting press hailed as an innovative feat, being able to build cars much more efficiently and quickly. That to me translation to more profit for the share holders and reducing workforce. But did we see a significant equal feat in quality improvement?
No doubt Tesla is an innovative and technological company. But over 13 years later, they still lack the fundamental of car manufacturing and quality control. Simple example, I picked up my model S and the first mile driving off the lot, I had to u turn to have them look into why the airbag warning was on. Took them a week to realize, there was a missing cable connecting it to the car. This is on a vehicle costing over 80k, not a Toyota Corolla.
Just like Toyota and their Kaizen approach was a disrupter back in the 80s and 90s to legacy manufacturing. Toyota pioneered the ability to reuse manufacturing line for multiple car type and can quickly reconfigure them. They was a game changer back then forcing Ford and GM to adapt and change or go under.
My point is, Tesla is an industry disrupter. They make great software and constantly refining it. But they still lack behind the car manufacturing experience and quality. Maybe another 10 years they’ll get there but currently they are not.
This is an important distinction. Gigapress, 4680 structrual batteries, etc are all amazing innovations in cost cutting, manufacturing speed.
But Tesla doesn't really translate this to material and feature improvements for the consumer.
Tesla's focus really seems to be on reducing cost/increasing speed. This allows them massive per unit profit margins- they adjust msrp at will and can stay profitable deep into competitors offerings because
no on can compete on price, software, engineering, or charging network. It's a bold and massively innovative and impressive strategy.
As a consumer, you don't get much in return. Usually, there are year on year updates, minor improvements in materials and features added.
I think there is an increase in quality, but not at any rate in line with how long these platforms have been out.
Had Tesla kept improving finish and materials- Tesla's lineup would truly be unquestionably rock solid Lexus level.
But that's not their focus.
One can argue that the broad strokes approach is far better for company survival. Rivian did the opposite and focused on amazing quality and deeply impressive consumer level features, finish and materials. Both approaches seem to not swing the needle regarding consumers ultimate choice to buy or not.
But that's a strategy that works, and obviously, we all can live with.
Again, on the whole, Tesla is just the best ev you can buy, imo.
