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tomnipotent

> It is a sign for abysmal factory operations.

Not really. It's just a sign that their paint shop needs some work.

> And the first time pass rate is really bad compared to other OEMs.

For a few weeks in June. Great work taking isolated incidents and generalizing across the board.

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It wasn't just those few weeks in June. Their first time pass rate, on weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis is really bad compared to other OEMs. A large part of the reason they have a repair parts shortage is because spare parts that would go to existing customers are instead being used to repair newly-built cars before they leave the factory.

Tesla's gotten better at managing their first-time pass rates, but they're still close to the bottom compared to their peers.

> really bad compared to other OEM

Compared to companies that have been in operation for decades, and in some cases a century? Sure, let's make sure to compare all start-ups to entrenched incumbents.

Tesla is not a startup! It's been in business for 18 years.

Depends on your definition. I think they qualify as a startup because they're still in their hockey-stick growth phase.

In the context of the auto industry, it absolutely is.

  Peugeot - 1889
  Daimler - 1890
  Fiat - 1899
  Renault - 1899
  Buick - 1903
  Ford - 1903
  Rolls-Royce - 1904
  General Motors - 1908
  Alfa Romeo - 1910
  Dodge - 1910
  Chevrolet - 1911
  Aston Martin - 1913
  Maserati - 1914
  Mitsubishi - 1917
  Bentley - 1919
  Citroen - 1919
  Chrysler - 1925
  Mercedes-Benz - 1926 (1883 if you include Benz & Cie.)
  Nissan - 1934
  Jaguar - 1935
  Toyota - 1937
  Jeep - 1941
  Ferrari - 1947
  Honda - 1948
  Land Rover - 1948
  Lotus - 1952
  Suzuki - 1956
  Subaru - 1958
  Mini - 1959
  Mazda - 1960
  Tesla - 2003

And this is explaining why Tesla ignored more than century worth of automotive mass production knowledge again? Because they are a start-up?

Regardless of our disagreements on Tesla -- this is a great list and really interesting to see all these OEMs, in order. Thanks for this good stuff. Upvoted.

I didn't know Peugeot was the oldest of the gang!

    Detroit Electric - 1907

The granddaddy of electric cars which out-produced everyone.

Nissan finally caught up in 2010.

Tesla didn't outproduce it until 2012.

The fires aren't just in the paint shop. They are all around the factory property. Inside and outside. Garbage fires on the lot happen about once a year.

Regardless, you are trying to say that paint shop fires mean they just need a new paint shop. What I'm saying is that their entire manufacturing operation is amateurish compared to the rest of the auto industry.

I mean, the BMW plant near here has fires about once a year two, if the last couple of years is a baseline. I'm not convinced that you are proving anything.

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