Shipment of a Tesla to Europe

[pan]

Since 2003 I have been leasing BMWs, 2003 - 745i, 2006 - 650i, 2010 - 650i, and currently 2012 - 650ix. Each one of these cars was a special factory order through the local dealer from BMW in Dingolfing, Germany. The wait always seemed interminable with the shortest being 63 days and the longest 91days from order placement.


To make the wait easier I found ways to track the cars through production. I knew the boats they were shipped on and tracked them across the ocean. I knew the cars were shipped from from Bremerhaven, across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal, to Port Hueneme in California for delivery to Colorado.


How are Tesla’s shipped to Europe? I would guess the quickest way to Europe would not be a boat from California but a train to a USA East Coast for shipment to Europe. This is curiosity while I wait for delivery at the end of April of a Model S. How much visibility does Tesla give you?

 

[loco]

You get a message saying "Your Model S is in transit from the factory" on the "My Tesla" page.
A delivery time estimate is also provided. It's not exact, for example "late march".

No boat tracking as far as I know.

 

[Glitch]

Tesla does not give you any insight in how the transport goes to Europe. However they go by train to NY and further via boat. Even more bizarre is that if they ship to Norway the cars go on a RoRo vessel similar to what other car vendors such as BMW use but cars with destination Europe (other than Norway) go through the following process
1. The Tesla is build in Freemont.
2. The Tesla is tested
3. The Tesla is Dissembled in to several parts an put in a Container. There are 3 Tesla's in 1 container.
4. That container is shipped by train to port and than goes to Tilburg the Netherlands for european distribution.
5. In Tilburg they again rebuild the Tesla and ship or deliver it to their customers.

What is not given in the entire process is the Vessel Name, if they could give that you can track the vessel via site such as Marine Traffic.

 

[mgboyes]

Tesla does not give you any insight in how the transport goes to Europe. However they go by train to NY and further via boat. Even more bizarre is that if they ship to Norway the cars go on a RoRo vessel similar to what other car vendors such as BMW use but cars with destination Europe (other than Norway) go through the following process
1. The Tesla is build in Freemont.
2. The Tesla is tested
3. The Tesla is Dissembled in to several parts an put in a Container. There are 3 Tesla's in 1 container.
4. That container is shipped by train to port and than goes to Tilburg the Netherlands for european distribution.
5. In Tilburg they again rebuild the Tesla and ship or deliver it to their customers.

What is not given in the entire process is the Vessel Name, if they could give that you can track the vessel via site such as Marine Traffic.

I assume this is because they import the cars in component form into the EU to avoid/minimise import duties, and then complete the assembly at Tilburg before transporting the cars to other EU countries (which does not incur any further taxes/duties). Norway is not in the EU so this process would not be of any benefit for cars destined there.

 

[Glitch]

I assume this is because they import the cars in component form into the EU to avoid/minimise import duties, and then complete the assembly at Tilburg before transporting the cars to other EU countries (which does not incur any further taxes/duties). Norway is not in the EU so this process would not be of any benefit for cars destined there.

Jip, it's all about the money

 

[mgboyes]

Jip, it's all about the money

Well the end result is that in the UK a P85D costs pretty much exactly the same as it does in the US (if you take sales taxes and government incentives out of the equation on both sides of the atlantic). That's amazing, and unheard of in just about any other American-made product I can buy.