So Like it has been a month, and how many new Model 3s are out?

[gregincal]

I'm satisfied with the evidence from August. This next month is the key. If they really produce 1500 cars in September we should definitely start seeing evidence of increased production (cars at the factory and people spotting cars with higher VINs).

 

[Garlan Garner]

My parents wanted to buy a Audi Q5 a few years ago but it was 18 month delivery time on them, why didn't they just but up another production line and produce 10 000 car per day a month later so that they could meet the demand? Why will it take until 2020 before Volkswagen ID will go in to production, they should be able to set up production in a couple of days.

When Audi and foreign car dealers announce a yearly version for a car....I can understand things such as international shipping numbers and the like, however if Audi puts up a 2017 car for sale, and Audi says that you won't get it until 2019, then why buy it?

We all know that Tesla does not have model years which gives them somewhat of an advantage over other car manufacturers in that their customers think differently. This would be a horrific experience if I knew I was getting a 2016 Model 3 in 2018. I'm thinking I'm getting the latest and greatest no matter when I get it. I know I'm in a long long long long line....even though I already waited in a 5 hour line.

How many cars has Tesla made so far. I'm interested in knowing if they are on Elons verbally stated pace. If not: Then I know my wait will be even longer than Tesla's posted delivery tool.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I'm satisfied with the evidence from August. This next month is the key. If they really produce 1500 cars in September we should definitely start seeing evidence of increased production (cars at the factory and people spotting cars with higher VINs).

Elon could take a picture of a current vin number at the end of the line and tweet it. No words or anything else. why not?

 

[Zaxxon]

Its been 519 days.

It's been 5,175 days (give or take 100) since Tesla was founded!

16,865 days since Elon Musk was born!

39,830 days since the Model T production began!

Any other irrelevant days you'd like to count? It's been 33 days since the Model 3 production deliveries began. We have guidance from Tesla as to what to expect from here--100ish in August, 1300-ish in Sept (1500 Q3 - 100 - 30 = 1370), and ramp truly beginning in October with first non-insider deliveries. Further, we've been told that those initial ramp-up months leading to October will be an inconsistent, 'production hell.' Today is August 30th. It's not only unsurprising that we don't have more information than that, but any information we did have would be of limited use since its ability to be used for extrapolation would be close to nil.

That's a real question from me. Not joking.

Perhaps not an intentional joke, but your apparently-serious posing of such a question, using 519 days as a starting point, reveals your line of inquiry to be quite humorous.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I don't know, maybe until your expected delivery passes?

You need the car tomorrow or something?

Just chill out a bit.

I'm not un-chilled. Any non- tesla questions or quotes makes people seemed un-chilled?

 

[Garlan Garner]

It's been 5,175 days (give or take 100) since Tesla was founded!

16,865 days since Elon Musk was born!

39,830 days since the Model T production began!

Any other irrelevant days you'd like to count? It's been 33 days since the Model 3 production deliveries began. We have guidance from Tesla as to what to expect from here--100ish in August, 1300-ish in Sept (1500 Q3 - 100 - 30 = 1370), and ramp truly beginning in October with first non-insider deliveries. Further, we've been told that those initial ramp-up months leading to October will be an inconsistent, 'production hell.' Today is August 30th. It's not only unsurprising that we don't have more information than that, but any information we did have would be of limited use since its ability to be used for extrapolation would be close to nil.



Perhaps not an intentional joke, but your apparently-serious posing of such a question, using 519 days as a starting point, reveals your line of inquiry to be quite humorous.

You didn't answer my question. However you provided a lot of other interesting information.

 

[Stolz25]

Elon could take a picture of a current vin number at the end of the line and tweet it. No words or anything else. why not?

Why? No other company I can think of does anything like this. Why would you expect it here? I agree it could be done (and I'd like to see it) but it's hardly required.

If anything, they have less incentive to try to build up expectations with things like this because of 500k reservations.

 

[Stolz25]

Indeed. I'm not sure how that answers my question.

Real question: How many more days would equate to patience in your view? 500 more? 100 more?

Sounds like if you can't wait until the end of October to know, you might want to look elsewhere for a car. Aside from complaining on a forum for the next two months you don't have many options than being patient.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

@Garlan Garner, some of us Tesla vets have some experience here - I put in my Model S reservation (with a company that had no track record at all for mass production nor had a factory even at the time; the Roadster doesn't count) in January 2010. Got my first Model S60 delivered in early-January 2013 - way more than 1,000 days later. Some intrepid ones put in their reservations in March 2009 even!

Many of us went through the same angst in late-2012 as Tesla got the Model S line going in a deliberate manner. Some of us S60 reservation holders were given a November 2012 delivery timeframe only for that to slip into January. There were some teething pains and issues with early-Signature Model S and with some rushed-delivery S85s in late-December 2012.

But, Tesla did right by us all eventually. They delivered a groundbreaking car and promptly fixed any issues with the early deliveries.

It's deja vu all over again. We'd want Tesla to get this right, at this scale and not flounder with bad builds, repair issues, bad publicity, etc. with a rushed launch. The Model X was a bit of a problem on those fronts so, Tesla has learned some lessons there.

My 2 cents; waiting for Teslas has made me a bit of a zen dude

 

[Garlan Garner]

Why? No other company I can think of does anything like this. Why would you expect it here? I agree it could be done (and I'd like to see it) but it's hardly required.

If anything, they have less incentive to try to build up expectations with things like this because of 500k reservations.

Tesla is where they are "Because" they don't do things the "ordinary" way. What CEO do you know of tweets and such like ELON?

 

[MogWV]

March 2016 was the Reveal. Today, its 519 days later.

30 cars are "non power point" cars. We actually saw them.

How many more than 30 are out there - "non power point" ?

Tesla only reveals production/delivery numbers at the end of the quarter. You'll find out the information you want then. You may not want to wait that long, and you may choose to assume they're busy playing paintball in the factory instead of building cars since they haven't released information stating otherwise- that's your prerogative. But they'll release information on their own timeline regardless.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Sounds like if you can't wait until the end of October to know, you might want to look elsewhere for a car. Aside from complaining on a forum for the next two months you don't have many options than being patient.

Are you serious? I'm asking how many cars have been made? and you equate that to "I can't wait"?

 

[Garlan Garner]

Tesla only reveals production/delivery numbers at the end of the quarter. You'll find out the information you want then. You may not want to wait that long, and you may choose to assume they're busy playing paintball in the factory instead of building cars since they haven't released information stating otherwise- that's your prerogative. But they'll release information on their own timeline regardless.

That's just not true. Elon and Tesla does things whenever they want. They don't wait for anything. They told us how many cars they've made at the semi-release party ( which was 30 ). That was outside of an earnings call and not at the end of the quarter.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Look, there was a gentleman earlier that simply said:

We don't know how many Model 3's they have made.

He didn't try to defend Tesla. He didn't get angry that the question was asked. He was just honest. He didn't insult me. Nothing. He just said.

We don't know.

I responded. Fine.

 

[Barklikeadog]

Look, there was a gentleman earlier that simply said:

We don't know how many Model 3's they have made.

He didn't try to defend Tesla. He didn't get angry that the question was asked. He was just honest. He didn't insult me. Nothing. He just said.

We don't know.

I responded. Fine.

it is interesting to see owners attacking other owners as if they were trolls.

 

[MogWV]

That's just not true. Elon and Tesla does things whenever they want. They don't wait for anything. They told us how many cars they've made at the semi-release party ( which was 30 ). That was outside of an earnings call and not at the end of the quarter.

Yes, because those cars were literally sitting in the parking lot for the world to see at a specially promoted event. How many Model S and Model X had they produced in July? They didn't say- why is that?

As I said, ask the question all you want. Just don't expect an answer before the end of a quarter.

 

[schonelucht]

Do we know for a fact Tesla required these employee-owners to sign NDAs?

No. But really, this is the most anticipated car of the company ever. Why would any of the 30 employees (plausibly 130 by this time), who are undoubtly very proud of the product, not be more active on social media beyond the very few highly curated videos and pic's we've seen? The only logical reason I see is that they've been asked not to do so. If you have another explanation I am ready to hear it!

 

[voip-ninja]

Indeed it did. Not sure how that changes the question.

Real question: How many more days would equate to patience in your view?

I don't understand where this is even coming from. Have Tesla failed in some major way with a commitment they've made? Are you irked by your $1,000 deposit languishing interest free in Tesla's clutches for a couple of years?

When I read your posts it appears you feel you are entitled to additional insight into where Tesla is in the manufacturing process that you are actually not entitled to and that could (almost certainly) be viewed as competitive information by Tesla.

 

[MogWV]

No. But really, this is the most anticipated car of the company ever. Why would any of the 30 employees (plausibly 130 by this time), who are undoubtly very proud of the product, not be more active on social media beyond the very few highly curated videos and pic's we've seen? The only logical reason I see is that they've been asked not to do so. If you have another explanation I am ready to hear it!

Other explanations:

1. Many people simply aren't very active on social media.
2. Even people who are active on social media may not care for the public attention that would result from posting about the Model 3.
3. People tend to be very careful about communicating publicly in a manner that could be represented as speaking on behalf of their company. You don't have to sign an NDA or be under a gag order to understand why that could be a poor idea. They could write a blog post or make a video with 99 points on why they love the car, then make 1 point about how the driver's seat squeaks a bit when they sit in it. Next thing you know, some automotive news site posts an article with the headline, "TESLA EMPLOYEE CONFIRMS DISTURBING PROBLEMS WITH INTERIOR FINISH OF MODEL 3", and it gets shared all over the internet. Then they have to explain to management what the hell happened. Why subject yourself to that?

 

[voip-ninja]

No. But really, this is the most anticipated car of the company ever. Why would any of the 30 employees (plausibly 130 by this time), who are undoubtly very proud of the product, not be more active on social media beyond the very few highly curated videos and pic's we've seen? The only logical reason I see is that they've been asked not to do so. If you have another explanation I am ready to hear it!

There are other reasons. While Tesla has touted that these are "production" version cars, it's possible that some software and even hardware revisions will need to happen as/during Tesla gets into the mass manufacturing phase. This kind of thing is notorious in early car production where problems from the field are quietly fixed with suppliers and updates happen on the factory floor with sometimes not even a TSB to alert the outside world that a fix is being done.

A Tesla investor or high level employee who has one of these early cars who gushingly shows the car off could have egg on their face and Tesla's face if things they show do not equate to the version of the product that ships to civilians.

Or, as someone else pointed out, small flaws in fit/finish would be exaggerated and picked apart by the automotive world when Tesla already has plans in the works for fixing them.