Tesla Has Shipped Model 3s Without Seats And Digital Displays– Here’s Why
Tesla’s Model 3 sedans are being shipped to dealers incomplete and its raising concerns about the quality of vehicle customers will eventually get. Quoting an article by The Financial Times, Jalopnik reported that some of the Model 3s Tesla-owned dealers have received missing seats and digital displays. But this is apparently not unusual for Tesla.
The parts are flown to the dealers who are then responsible for adding them to the car before they reach the customer. This practice does not violate the customer disclosure rules, but, as The Financial Times notes, it can certainly raise doubt as to whether the cars were sufficiently calibrated before customers end up behind the wheel.
Tesla’s response to that speculation has been to state that the practice is a necessary part of their production chain because they are constantly changing the software and hardware in their cars. According to the official company statement, this means that parts are flown to the delivery center to meet the rest of the vehicle, “if those items have been upgraded after the car has shipped.”
“This process may be unfamiliar to some, but has worked very well for us, as our customers know that if we can add value or make something better, we will do everything we can to do it right away,” a company spokesperson said.
With a quarterly loss of $671 million, the Tesla Model 3 could be delayed https://t.co/wcoNigt6fS pic.twitter.com/AQ6EtC5kSz
— Intl. Business Times (@IBTimes) November 4, 2017
The Tesla Model 3 has been hit with some bad publicity lately and this new revelation about the production process may dig the hole even deeper. According to Jalopnik, the construction of Model 3 line was behind schedule and was only completed last month. Furthermore, brand new robotics, designed to speed up the manufacturing process, aren’t automated as yet.
The Inquisitr previously reported that Tesla had slashed Model 3 parts orders from one of its suppliers by 40 percent and had delayed the shipment of parts by a couple months. The company said that the reduced parts orders were a result of “production bottlenecks.” CEO, Elon Musk has also hinted at “production” hell at the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada. All of these could potentially shake the confidence of investors who have attached their fortunes to Musk’s dream of a mass-market electric car.
NEW VIDEO: The one you've been waiting for! The very first in-depth look at the Tesla Model 3 #tesla #model3 https://t.co/nfAsiYJwi7 pic.twitter.com/IfeJcjL8Gx
— TREV PAGE (@Model3Owners) October 27, 2017
According to the New York Times, the billionaire CEO recently had to reassure investors that the Model 3’s manufacturing problems were just “temporary glitches” and there was nothing to be worried about. In the letter to his shareholders, he said that he expected Tesla to be producing 5,000 Model 3s per week by “early next year.” and revealed that they are making progress towards fixing the bottlenecks in the production chain.
[Featured Image by Tesla Motors]
