Model 3 production 'bottlenecks' probed by Financial Times

[ElecFan]

Interesting article at autoblog on model 3 production bottlenecks.

Conclusion: there may be some delays however:

We must admit, it's hard to work up any alarm about the findings. Yes, Tesla will likely need to refund Model 3 reservations to buyers spooked by ominous portents and longer wait times. But that reservation list is figured to be somewhere around 500,000 names; if Tesla delivers half that number to early adopters, the Model 3 still makes a rampaging success.

Yep, that's how I feel.

 

[sooner]

The more refunds they issue, the faster I get my car.

Tesla can raise capital at the drop of a pin, so they have no chance of going under. It is just a waiting game until they start delivering significant numbers, could be next year, could be 2019, and in that time period, my car will be delivered.

 

[jbcarioca]

Rampaging!!
The FT article probably is well-researched. It does seem to reflect reality at the moment.
The question is how long it will be to reach volume production. Tesla deferring the projection of 5,000 per week until March is probably prudent.
This news is not what we want to hear but we'll get over it by around next year at this time. This is more like Roadster, S and X than we had hoped.
It was naive to imagine they'd reinvent the car and the factory from scratch and have it all be smooth.
After all, the traditional industry fastest cycle used to be at Honda, which took two years to do a 'new' vehicle, always a derivative of one they'd already done.

Maybe at March and 5000 a week it is not overpromising. We shall see.

Meanwhile the finished product seems to be garnering raves.

 

[Trips]

I like how they used the picture of the one Model 3 that did not have a battery pack.

 

[kengchang]

I like how they used the picture of the one Model 3 that did not have a battery pack.

Press can't just publish an image without obtaining copyright/authorization.

 

[Rockster]

Press can't just publish an image without obtaining copyright/authorization.

Not true. Copyright law has provisions for "Fair Use," which gives journalists (and others, like satirists and reviewers) the right to use copyrighted content without permission.

 

[Barklikeadog]

The only part of that blog that means a darn thing is the last line:

If the Model 3 ends up being the car that breaks Tesla, it will likely be because too many Model 3s break down when owners finally have them.

 

[ElecFan]

The only part of that blog that means a darn thing is the last line:

If the Model 3 ends up being the car that breaks Tesla, it will likely be because too many Model 3s break down when owners finally have them.

That's why it's better to wait patiently for Tesla to get it right, than receiving breakdown cars in a hurry.

 

[sooner]

I imagine by the time I get my car, initial quality assessment will be available...