Facing a global shortage of semiconductor chips and other supply-chain disruptions, other automakers in Europe are offering pared-down options for cars so customers can get their new cars quickly.
Renault is offering “fast track” delivery for its Arkana crossover to customers who choose black, pearl-white or gray.
Production break
Output at Tesla’s German plant will take a planned 12-day break starting this week to optimize manufacturing during the Berlin summer vacation.
Part of the factory’s overhaul will include ensuring car bodies only spend 45 seconds at each manufacturing station, instead of the current 90 seconds.
Following the overhaul, the automaker’s first European plant will restart with a three-shift operation. This also applies to the paint shop, where industry sources have said there have been problems since production began in March.
The automaker’s quarterly sales figures showed demand was depressed by a lockdown in Shanghai to combat COVID-19.
The company delivered 254,695 vehicles from April to June, compared with around 310,000 in the first quarter, although Tesla consistently increased its deliveries from quarter to quarter.
According to analysts, the new factories in Texas and Gruenheide only contributed about 6,000 cars to overall production.
Tesla has said it wants to produce 500,000 cars a year in Gruenheide.
