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Elon Musk: Tesla ‘still haven’t fully recovered’ from difficult Model X ramp
CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla’s Model X Refresh ramp-up was a disaster that the automaker “still hasn’t fully recovered” from. The all-electric SUV from Tesla was its third vehicle release behind the Roadster and Model S, but it is still proving to give the company manufacturing difficulties; as Musk said, the “Model X is an extremely difficult car to build.”
Since “refreshing” Tesla’s two flagship vehicles, the Model S and Model X, in early 2021, only the all-electric sedan has contributed anything worth mentioning to the company’s quarterly delivery figures. The Model S, which experienced delays of its own, began deliveries in July 2021. While the Model S has presented challenges of its own, admittedly by Musk, who said the vehicle still had “many fine details to address” in March 2021, the Model X appears to be giving Tesla even more issues.
Credit: Tesla
Musk stated last night via Twitter that Tesla “dropped the ball badly regarding new Model X production ramp & still haven’t fully recovered. Was idiotic to stop production of old X in Dec 2020 when there was still plenty of demand!” Both the Model S and Model X production lines and the Fremont factory were halted, tipping off Tesla faithful that something was going on. Tesla then released details regarding both vehicles during the Q4 2020 Earnings Call, revealing the two updated vehicle designs.
Tesla owners who ordered the Model X after the automaker announced the redesign have experienced strange projections for delivery dates. While initial delivery dates were slotted for February 2021, by Q2, many of those projections had been pushed back to Q4. This was only the beginning of the delays, however, as some Model X delivery timelines have been pushed back to 2023. The most recent changes to Model X delivery dates took place in November 2021, when Tesla pushed Long Range variants with Cyberstream wheels back to March 2023.
Now, more owners are updating Teslarati that their delivery dates are continuing to be revised. After initial delivery was slated for April 2021 for one Model X orderer, this date has been delayed by twelve months.
@Tesla model x delivery date is now April 2022 in my profile, which has now been delayed 12+ months with original delivery set for April 2021. Will this ever be delivered? Has anyone else had a new model x delivered (non-plaid) @Teslarati
— Braden (@BradenLambros) February 9, 2022
Tesla also may be simplifying its Model X manufacturing lines to only include popular options in order to streamline manufacturing. Recently, Tesla made the Model X Plaid available in only the six-seat configuration, which sources told Teslarati was a move to simplify the production processes of the all-electric SUV. Tesla is unlikely to offer the five or seven-seat configurations again, people familiar with the matter said. Musk confirmed in another Tweet last night that “limiting factor is interior trim.”
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
News
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
News
Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
