Musk: Osborning His Model 3 | Monday Note

From a timely Tesla reality check; also see Tesla’s Model Y is a car Elon Musk hopes will distract from everything else | Washington Post

"The parallel with Tesla’s Model Y announcement needs little elaboration. Musk finally announces Tesla’s CUV, a model many will would prefer to the Model 3 sedan. No trouble if both are available simultaneously or in close succession. But the Model Y is promised for the “last quarter” of 2020, and the base model for “early 2021” — past Tesla performance easily explains the skeptical quote marks. First deliveries are 18 months away and manufacturing plans are glowingly vague.
This could be Tesla’s riskiest transition ever. Model 3 production hell came with strong demand from an enthusiastic following. Now, with output and demand about to reach equilibrium, one wonders what possesses Musk to put a close-to-normal situation at risk. One possible explanation floats around: Tesla has begun to experience a demand air pocket, a softening in what used to be unquenchable thirst for its product. Hence these past weeks’ sales strategy zigzags — and taking the risk of Osborning the Model 3."

Musk: Osborning His Model 3 | Monday Note