Tesla isn’t even present at this year’s Detroit show—typical for a company that shuns the traditions of the hidebound auto industry. But it’s a topic of conversation nonetheless, as industry insiders speculate over whether the company can iron out manufacturing snafus that have marred the launch of its first mainstream vehicle, the Model 3 sedan. Tesla desperately needs the cash flow from vigorous Model 3 sales, yet production has stalled due to problems with the big batteries that power all Tesla electrics.
“As somebody said about health care, production is complicated,” Rebecca Lindland of Cox Automotive said during a presentation for journalists at the Detroit show. “Tesla has got to get Model 3 production figured out.” … More