Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
Industryweek 35253 Link Elon Musk
Industryweek 35253 Link Elon Musk
Industryweek 35253 Link Elon Musk
Industryweek 35253 Link Elon Musk
Industryweek 35253 Link Elon Musk

Tesla Must Go 'All Out' to Set Deliveries Record, Musk Says

June 26, 2019
The company has forecast it will deliver 90,000 to 100,000 cars in the second quarter after handing over just 63,000 vehicles to customers in the first three months of the year.

Tesla Inc. could be on the verge of a quarterly record for vehicle deliveries, though the electric carmaker will need to go “all out” in the last few days of the month, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk wrote in an internal memo.

“There is a lot of speculation regarding our vehicle deliveries this quarter,” Musk told employees in an email Tuesday. “The reality is that we are on track to set an all-time record, but it will be very close. However, if we go all out, we can definitely do it!”

Tesla shares have slumped 34% this year, in part due to concerns about demand that Musk has repeatedly downplayed. The company has forecast it will deliver 90,000 to 100,000 cars in the second quarter after handing over just 63,000 vehicles to customers in the first three months of the year. The stock rose as much as 1.8% as of 9:50 a.m. Wednesday in New York.

A Tesla representative didn’t respond to a request for comment. The company’s previous best for quarterly deliveries was 90,700 vehicles in the last three months of 2018.

“We already have enough vehicle orders to set a record, but the right cars are not yet all in the right locations,” Musk wrote. “Logistics and final delivery are extremely important, as well as finding demand for vehicle variants that are available locally, but can’t reach people who ordered that variant before the end of the quarter.”

Amid all the attention on Musk’s delivery push, the CEO may have lost a member of his executive team within another key area of the business. Peter Hochholdinger, the head of production in charge of all vehicle manufacturing at Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California, has left the company, Electrek reported. Tesla hired him away from Audi in 2016.

By Dana Hull and Josh Eidelson

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!