Has the expected delivery timeline for Tesla Model X orders in China been changed? Are international Tesla Model X deliveries running even further behind schedule than previously thought?
A recent post on a popular Tesla discussion forum has me wondering…. A commenter on the Tesla Motors Club forum by the name of “Festerfeet” recently revealed that a store employee implied that he was unlikely to receive his previously ordered Model X until the end of the year — despite originally being told of a possible delivery in late June.
Here’s the full post for a lot more context and specifics:
I got to see a Model X in the flesh today. Tesla currently have two model Xs in China and one is on display in the city where I live, Chengdu. It was on display in an upmarket shopping area round the corner from where I live. Stand was abandoned but I went over to the shop and spoke to one of the sales staff about having a look inside. Originally was told no but after explaining that I had ordered sight unseen I would appreciate a look if he could help.
After that he was very accommodating, grabbed the key and walked us back to the car and allowed us a sit inside and a fiddle with everything I asked all bar letting me into the driving seat. Apparently nobody from the store or the service centre has been allowed to drive it.
Needless to say that we were impressed and the quality seemed great.
Now the less good news (for me anyway and anyone ordering an X in China):
During our conversation I explained when I had ordered and confirmed and gave him my vin – ends 61XX (because I am that sad individual that remembers long numbers). He told me that I had a long wait ahead. I said no, surely not, I had been told by my DS that the car was likely to go into production mid-may and could be in China by the end of June.
I explained that I was aware that production had slowed to fine tune production and was hoping to see it in maybe July or August. It was at this point the sales guy laughed nervously and asked whether my DS had been in touch and I said he had been elusive and may actually be dead for all I knew. He was not responding to phone calls, social media or emails but I supposed he had been busy.
He then told me that I was unlikely to see my car until the end of the year. His English was good and my Chinese is…less than good so we went back and forth in two different languages, him repeating what he told me and me checking I understood. I then turned to my son for help and my wife who are both bilingual and they established that he had said what I thought he had said and he wasn’t budging and he understood my situation perfectly.
So now I have to figure out what has changed, obviously a change of focus at Tesla or a serious breakdown in communication somewhere along the line. My understanding was that orders were opened in Europe and China at about the same time and I have seen that some in Europe have delivery dates for non-sig yet I am being told that excepting the very early reservists, we are all going to have to wait till the end of 2016.
I know there are many people that that have waited far longer than me and I am not moaning about that but how can things have slowed down that much so quickly without a policy change at Tesla or a complete about face in priorities for the company in China?
Ironically design studio has opened this last week for the X in China, expected delivery is second half of 2016 for all models. Something is not right.
Hmmm. Perhaps they just decided to hold off on deliveries in China until later this year altogether? Or perhaps it’s all a misunderstanding?