Tesla’s Musk says company has acquired trucking companies

Tesla just acquired trucking capacity to ensure Model 3 can be delivered in US by Dec 31 if ordered by Nov 30 https://t.co/npmPuSXNWC

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 15, 2018

In a brief tweet posted Thursday, Tesla boss Elon Musk says the company has “acquired trucking capacity” to help aid in the delivery of its Model 3 electric car, which has been plagued by production problems and years-late deliveries to those who ordered the vehicle.

The company hasn’t shed any light on which fleets it acquired or how the acquisition would benefit Model 3 production. CCJ‘s queries to Tesla about its acquisition were not returned.

However, the acquisition could be in aiding delivery of supplies and components to Tesla factories to help bolster the Model 3 build rate. Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles for FTR, said earlier this year that component supply issues had hampered truck builders’ ability to ramp up production. Trucking capacity, he noted, caused volatility in build rates, due to issues in getting parts to OEM facilities.

Musk didn’t make that connection in his tweet, but it could be the underpinning issue in the company’s decision: Having dedicated capacity to help the company attain the parts it needs to build its Model 3.

The Model 3 was touted as Tesla’s entry-level vehicle, available at a cheaper price than its higher-end models and, thus, intended to be produced on a larger scale. However, the company has continued to fail to meet production targets, causing Model 3 deliveries to lag well behind Tesla’s target dates.