Though Tesla previously struggled with scaling up its production and manufacturing capabilities for its mass-market Model 3 electric vehicle, it faces a related problem now; Tesla is struggling to get its finished vehicles into the hands of its customers at a reasonable pace.
Thus far, Tesla has required owners to pick up their vehicles, but now it seems the company is rolling out a "Tesla Direct" service that will let its employees hand-deliver customers' vehicles to their home or office.
The service is completely free for now, according to Electrek, but there could be a few catches worth noting.
For starters, Model 3 buyers in the Los Angeles metro region told the outlet that they've been receiving emails from Tesla saying Tesla Direct will be free during this week and the upcoming weekend.
However, the emails didn't say anything about the weeks to come.
That uncertainty, in addition to further email remarks that say Tesla Direct will only be available on a "first come, first serve" basis, implies the service might only be around for a limited time. Perhaps Musk and co. are testing the waters to see how much Tesla Direct will streamline the sales process.
Regardless, this is a pretty smart move on Tesla's part, even if it is temporary. The Model 3 is a popular EV at the moment, but the need to, as Electrek notes, take a day -- or more -- off of work just to pick one up is an unpalatable concept for many potential customers.
It's not clear what regions (Aside from Los Angeles) Tesla Direct might arrive in, but we'll keep you updated as we learn more about the program.
https://www.techspot.com/news/76592-tesla-testing-factory-customer-model-3-delivery-service.html
