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Tesla’s ‘delivery logistics hell’ is an encouraging sign for Q3’s Model 3 production

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Tesla is now on full throttle as it attempts to deliver as many vehicles as it can to Model 3 reservation holders before the end of the third quarter. As the company hits new production levels for the electric car, Tesla is now finding itself facing yet another challenge — a new type of hell, even. As dubbed by Elon Musk in a recent tweet, Tesla has gone from “production hell” straight into “delivery logistics hell.”

Elon Musk was online this Sunday on Twitter, and during his interactions with his followers, he was faced with an inquiry from a Model 3 reservation holder whose delivery had been delayed multiple times. Megan Gale, the reservation holder, noted that her delivery date had been moved four times before she was informed that her Model 3’s handover had been delayed “indefinitely.”

Musk promptly admitted fault, stating that the company is currently facing challenges with delivery logistics. Musk did note, though, that delivery logistics hell is far more tractable than production hell; and thus, Tesla should be able to solve the issue shortly.

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While there are now reservation holders being inconvenienced due to Tesla’s inability to deliver their vehicles on time, the current issue does indicate something notably positive for one of the company’s targets this Q3 — the production numbers of the Model 3. Tesla has announced that it is aiming to produce 50,000-55,000 Model 3 for the third quarter, and just recently, an email from Elon Musk to the company’s employees noted that Tesla would likely build and deliver around twice as many vehicles as it did last quarter.

If Tesla is on track in meeting the milestones Elon Musk outlined in his letter, the company’s delivery centers across the United States are likely experiencing an influx of vehicles at a scale they have never experienced before. For a company that is still finding its legs as a mainstream carmaker, this sudden increase in the number of impending deliveries would likely result in challenges.

This is not to say that Tesla is being caught off guard by its own production numbers. This quarter, the company has implemented programs designed to speed up the delivery process, such as the 5-Minute Sign & Drive delivery program. Unlike Tesla’s old delivery system that involves a thorough walkthrough of its electric cars’ functions, the 5-Minute Sign & Drive system only covers the basics of the vehicles. The electric cars’ more specific features and capabilities are expected to be reviewed by reservation holders prior to the delivery date. Back in July, Elon Musk also noted that Tesla is working on a system that would get rid of paper contracts completely by having customers sign necessary documents online. Musk further noted that in the future, Tesla’s customers should be able to return the electric cars just like any other consumer product, in the event that they are unsatisfied with the vehicle.

There is a lot at stake for Tesla this third quarter. After achieving its then-elusive goal of manufacturing 5,000 Model 3 per week at the end of Q2 2018, the company has focused itself on the task of pushing Model 3 production even further and ending the quarter as a profitable company. These goals are undoubtedly ambitious, but Tesla seems to have a shot at accomplishing just that. Analysts from Evercore ISI and Worm Capital, for one, have noted that with the right optimizations, Tesla should be able to maintain a steady production rate of 5,000-6,000 Model 3 per week. The Evercore ISI analysts even noted that with minimal CapEx, Tesla should be able to manufacture up to 8,000 Model 3 per week.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk affirms Tesla commitment and grueling work schedule: “Daddy is very much home”

The remarks came as Tesla shares crossed the $400 mark on the stock market.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk reiterated his commitment to the electric vehicle maker and its future projects this week, responding to speculation following his $1 billion purchase of TSLA stock. 

The remarks came as Tesla shares crossed the $400 mark on the stock market, extending a rally fueled in part by Musk’s TSLA purchase.

Elon Musk’s nonstop work schedule

Amidst the reaction of TSLA stock to Musk’s $1 billion investment, Tesla owners such as @greggertruck noted that “Daddy’s home.” Musk replied, stating that “Daddy is very much home.” He then shared details of a packed weekend of work, which was definitely grueling but completely within character for a “wartime CEO.”

Musk did note, however, that he had lunch with his kids during the weekend despite his extremely busy schedule.

“Daddy is very much home. Am burning the midnight oil with Optimus engineering on Friday night, then redeye overnight to Austin arriving 5am, wake up to have lunch with my kids and then spend all Saturday afternoon in deep technical reviews for the Tesla AI5 chip design. 

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“Fly to Colossus II on Monday to walk the whole datacenter floor, review transformers and power production (excellent progress), depart midnight. Then up to 12 hours of back-to-back meetings across all Tesla departments, but with a particular focus on AI/Autopilot, Optimus production plans, and vehicle production/delivery,” Musk wrote in his post

Wartime CEO

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives described Musk as operating in “wartime CEO mode,” highlighting autonomous driving and AI as a trillion-dollar market opportunity for Tesla. Musk reiterated this point late last month as well, when he outlined the several projects he is juggling among his numerous companies. At the time, Musk stated that he was busy with Starship 10, Grok 5, and Tesla V14. This was despite his notable presence on X. 

With Tesla Master Plan Part IV being partly released, the company is entering what could very well be its most ambitious stage to date. To usher in an era of sustainable abundance, Tesla would definitely require a “wartime CEO,” someone who could remain locked in and determined to push through any obstacles to ensure that the company achieves its goals.

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Elon Musk

Tesla analyst says Musk stock buy should send this signal to investors

“With Musk’s (Tesla stock) purchase, combined with the upward momentum for delivery expectations and robotaxi rollout, we are becoming more bullish.”

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk purchased roughly $1 billion in Tesla shares on Friday, and analysts are now breaking down the move as the stock is headed upward.

One of them is William Blair analyst Jed Dorsheimer, who said in a new note to investors on Monday that Musk’s move should send a signal of confidence to stock buyers, especially considering the company’s numerous catalysts that currently exist.

Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever

Dorsheimer said in the note:

“With Musk’s (Tesla stock) purchase, combined with the upward momentum for delivery expectations and robotaxi rollout, we are becoming more bullish. This purchase is Musk’s first buy since 2020. To us, this sends a strong signal of confidence in the most important part of Tesla’s future business, robotaxi.”

Musk putting an additional $1 billion back into the company in the form of more stock ownership is obviously a huge vote of confidence.

He knows more than anyone about the progress Tesla has made and is making on the Robotaxi platform, as well as the company’s ongoing efforts to solve vehicle autonomy. If he’s buying stock, it is more than likely a good sign.

Tesla has continued to expand its Robotaxi platform in a number of ways. The project has gotten bigger in terms of service area, vehicle fleet, and testing population. Tesla has also recently received a permit to test in Nevada, unlocking the potential to expand into a brand-new state for the company.

In the note, Dorsheimer also touched on Musk’s recent pay package, revealing that William Blair recently met with Tesla’s Board of Directors, who gave the firm some more color on the situation:

“We recently participated in a meeting with Tesla’s board of directors to discuss the details of Musk’s performance package. The board is confident of its position in the Delaware case and anticipates a verdict by end of year. It does not expect a similar situation to occur under new Texas jurisdiction. Musk has the board’s full support, and we expect he’ll get more than enough shareholder support for this to pass with flying colors.”

Tesla stock is up over 6 percent so far today, trading at $421.50 at the time of publication.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever

Prior to this latest move, Musk’s most recent purchase was for about 200,000 shares worth $10 million in 2020.

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Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons


Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares rose on Monday after CEO Elon Musk disclosed a rare insider purchase of company stock worth about $1 billion. 

A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that Musk acquired 2.57 million shares last Friday at various prices. The move represents Musk’s largest TSLA purchase ever by value, as per Verity data.

Elon Musk’s TSLA purchase

The disclosure sent Tesla shares up more than 8% in premarket trading Monday, as investors read the purchase as a notable vote of confidence, as stated in a CNBC report. Tesla stock had closed slightly lower Friday but remains more than 25% higher over the past three months. It should be noted that prior to this latest move, Musk’s most recent purchase was for about 200,000 shares worth $10 million in 2020.

Market watchers say the purchase could help shore up investor sentiment amid a volatile year for TSLA stock. Shares have faced pressure from a variety of factors, from year-over-year sales challenges due to the new Model Y changeover, political controversies tied to Musk, and reduced U.S. incentives for EVs under the Trump administration. Nevertheless, analysts such as Wedbush’s Dan Ives stated that Musk’s purchase was a “huge sign of confidence for Tesla bulls and shows Musk is doubling down on his Tesla A.I. bet.”

Tesla and Elon Musk

Musk already owns about 13% of Tesla, and his latest purchase comes as the company prepares for a key shareholder vote in November. Investors will decide whether to approve a compensation package for Musk that could ultimately be worth as much as $975 billion if ambitious market value milestones are achieved. The package has a long-term target of pushing Tesla’s market capitalization to $8.5 trillion, compared with about $1.3 trillion at Friday’s close.

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Wall Street’s current consensus price target still implies a roughly 20% decline from current levels, though some Tesla bulls remain optimistic that the company could shift its focus toward autonomy, AI, and robotics. Musk has also asked shareholders to approve an investment into his latest venture, xAI.

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