Based on his track record, Musk often sets unrealistic timeline goals (and unrealistic engineering goals, but he usually meets those). This has happened multiple times with both Tesla and SpaceX, not surprised this happened.
Tesla isn't a startup working out of someone's garage -- it is a large player in a heavily regulated capital market. Estimates and guidance are for investors, not for people on the street: they are supposed to mean something.
Are you sure about that? The only thing I start thinking is that the person making the estimates is being consistent.
Other manufacturers don't really do that, which is why you rarely see the headlines of Dodge Durango being three weeks behind schedule.
If it turns out that they knew or should have known they wouldn't make the schedule then they are liable for misleading investors.
But many public companies have discovered that conservative forecasts with positive surprises are better for the share price than optimistic forecasts with profit/production warnings.
They lied to investors to keep the stock price pumped. Not cool.
You don't read safe harbor statements?