Tesla Week: Model 3 Ramps, Chevy Bolt Rises

Credit: Brooke Crothers

Tesla Model 3 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It was a unqualified hit and the booth was mobbed.

There are signs that Model 3 inventory is starting to build for regular reservation holders while, conversely, the Chevy Bolt is now harder to get. Tesla Semi is in the news too.

[For the week ending Friday December 8, 2017]

The surest sign that Model 3 production is ramping is an uptick in cars going to regular reservation holders, i.e., non-employees (and those with no relation to Tesla employees). That seems ("seems" being the operative word) to be happening*.

Teslarati posted this on Thursday: "Tesla opens new Los Angeles delivery center with lot full of Model 3" The post went on to say that, "By comparison to one month ago when the facility was completely empty, the building’s expansive parking lot that can support upwards of 400 parked vehicles was holding a fleet of Model 3 on Thursday."

Teslarati contined. "As the company pushes to meet quarterly delivery numbers...with a large portion of its customer base and deliveries in Southern California, Tesla’s Marina Del Rey facility will bring much needed relief to an already overcrowded Centinela location."

And there's other evidence of increased Model 3 production such as sightings of higher VIN numbers as well as customers reporting that they're finally getting their Model 3 sometime this month, according to another post at Teslarati.

CEO Elon Musk hopes to hit a production rate of 5,000 Model 3s per week by the end of March 2018 (per Musk's revised target).

Credit: Teslarati

Tesla Model 3s at Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles.

LA Auto Show: The Model 3 at the Los Angeles Auto Show was mobbed. I tried to hit all of the prominent EV exhibitors at the show and the Model 3 was definitely the most popular. Also including below a quick tour of the Bollinger Motors utility EV.

I also liked the Bollinger Motors all-electric utility vehicle.

Chevy Bolt inventory vanishes in Los Angeles as Model 3's stock grows: Ironically, as Model 3 availability improves, the on-lot availability of the Chevy Bolt (EPA-estimated 238 miles of range**) in Los Angeles has shrunk to almost nothing. I live near some of the largest Chevy Bolt dealers in the U.S.  Rydell had zero Bolts on its lot on the afternoon of Friday December 8 when I visited. That was a big shock. Earlier this year, I had seen days when Rydell had a total inventory (including off-site lots) of over 50 Bolts.

Why the shrinking inventory? I was told by multiple sales people at various Chevy dealers that demand had spiked recently, thus the lack of inventory. (Yes, it's the end of the year but dealers I talked to don't expect the 2018s anytime soon.)

See this chart at CleanTechnica for sales of the Chevy Bolt in November versus major EV rivals. With almost 3,000 sold in November, the Bolt is well ahead of the Model S, the Model X, the Chevy Volt and way ahead of the Toyota Prius Prime and BMW i3.

Also, ironically, other Chevy dealers around me in Los Angeles that move (relatively speaking) lots Bolts have switched to taking pre-orders.

In other words, now you do this: you look at the dealer's inventory on their website. See what's in transit. Then order what you want (i.e., make a payment and sign a contract up front) and take delivery later. This wasn't the case before.

Credit: Brooke Crothers

2017 Chevy Bolt LT. It's a relief to drive long distances and not have range anxiety. The Chevy Spark EV (which I've driven extensively) was the source of pretty constant range anxiety.

Tesla Semi: Jalopnik has posted "Every Company That Has Pre-Ordered A Tesla Semi To Date" That list includes this week's order (reservation) from Anheuser-Busch for 40 Tesla semis and Sysco's order for 50. Tesla Semi prototypes have also been spotted.

The U.S. subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch plans to use the trucks for shipments to wholesalers within 150 to 200 miles of its brewery locations—well within the 500-mile range that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has promised. 

--"Anheuser-Busch Orders 40 Tesla Semi Trucks" Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2017

Credit: Tesla

Tesla Semi.

----

*I queried Tesla about this but got no response.

 **I have a Bolt (2017) in my garage now (leased). In my experience so far, the Bolt's range often exceeds the rated 238 miles. My experience also includes a long-range test drive of a Premier Bolt that General Motors was kind enough to loan me for three days.

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Credit: Brooke Crothers

Tesla Model 3 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It was a unqualified hit and the booth was mobbed.

There are signs that Model 3 inventory is starting to build for regular reservation holders while, conversely, the Chevy Bolt is now harder to get. Tesla Semi is in the news too.

[For the week ending Friday December 8, 2017]

The surest sign that Model 3 production is ramping is an uptick in cars going to regular reservation holders, i.e., non-employees (and those with no relation to Tesla employees). That seems ("seems" being the operative word) to be happening*.

Teslarati posted this on Thursday: "Tesla opens new Los Angeles delivery center with lot full of Model 3" The post went on to say that, "By comparison to one month ago when the facility was completely empty, the building’s expansive parking lot that can support upwards of 400 parked vehicles was holding a fleet of Model 3 on Thursday."

Teslarati contined. "As the company pushes to meet quarterly delivery numbers...with a large portion of its customer base and deliveries in Southern California, Tesla’s Marina Del Rey facility will bring much needed relief to an already overcrowded Centinela location."

And there's other evidence of increased Model 3 production such as sightings of higher VIN numbers as well as customers reporting that they're finally getting their Model 3 sometime this month, according to another post at Teslarati.

CEO Elon Musk hopes to hit a production rate of 5,000 Model 3s per week by the end of March 2018 (per Musk's revised target).

Credit: Teslarati

Tesla Model 3s at Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles.

LA Auto Show: The Model 3 at the Los Angeles Auto Show was mobbed. I tried to hit all of the prominent EV exhibitors at the show and the Model 3 was definitely the most popular. Also including below a quick tour of the Bollinger Motors utility EV.

I also liked the Bollinger Motors all-electric utility vehicle.

Chevy Bolt inventory vanishes in Los Angeles as Model 3's stock grows: Ironically, as Model 3 availability improves, the on-lot availability of the Chevy Bolt (EPA-estimated 238 miles of range**) in Los Angeles has shrunk to almost nothing. I live near some of the largest Chevy Bolt dealers in the U.S.  Rydell had zero Bolts on its lot on the afternoon of Friday December 8 when I visited. That was a big shock. Earlier this year, I had seen days when Rydell had a total inventory (including off-site lots) of over 50 Bolts.

Why the shrinking inventory? I was told by multiple sales people at various Chevy dealers that demand had spiked recently, thus the lack of inventory. (Yes, it's the end of the year but dealers I talked to don't expect the 2018s anytime soon.)

See this chart at CleanTechnica for sales of the Chevy Bolt in November versus major EV rivals. With almost 3,000 sold in November, the Bolt is well ahead of the Model S, the Model X, the Chevy Volt and way ahead of the Toyota Prius Prime and BMW i3.

Also, ironically, other Chevy dealers around me in Los Angeles that move (relatively speaking) lots Bolts have switched to taking pre-orders.

In other words, now you do this: you look at the dealer's inventory on their website. See what's in transit. Then order what you want (i.e., make a payment and sign a contract up front) and take delivery later. This wasn't the case before.

Credit: Brooke Crothers

2017 Chevy Bolt LT. It's a relief to drive long distances and not have range anxiety. The Chevy Spark EV (which I've driven extensively) was the source of pretty constant range anxiety.

Tesla Semi: Jalopnik has posted "Every Company That Has Pre-Ordered A Tesla Semi To Date" That list includes this week's order (reservation) from Anheuser-Busch for 40 Tesla semis and Sysco's order for 50. Tesla Semi prototypes have also been spotted.

The U.S. subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch plans to use the trucks for shipments to wholesalers within 150 to 200 miles of its brewery locations—well within the 500-mile range that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has promised. 

--"Anheuser-Busch Orders 40 Tesla Semi Trucks" Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2017

Credit: Tesla

Tesla Semi.

----

*I queried Tesla about this but got no response.

 **I have a Bolt (2017) in my garage now (leased). In my experience so far, the Bolt's range often exceeds the rated 238 miles. My experience also includes a long-range test drive of a Premier Bolt that General Motors was kind enough to loan me for three days.

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Read Again https://www.forbes.com/sites/brookecrothers/2017/12/10/tesla-week-model-3-ramps-chevy-bolt-rises/

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