Tesla Performing Like Gangbusters

In his publication Green Auto Market, my colleague Jon LeSage reports:

Tesla’s stock went up 7 percent Tuesday after reporting it produced 87,048 vehicles in the second quarter while delivering 95,200, strong performance that exceeded analyst forecasts. The company manufactured 17,650 Model S and X vehicles and 77,550 Model 3s. Among deliveries, 77,550 were Model 3s while the other 17,650 were Models S and X. Right before the quarterly report, CEO Elon Musk was on Twitter promoting Tesla Direct, a new service that offers some buyers of the Model 3, S and X the option to have their car dropped off at their home or office. It’s gaining a lot of interest and support, and some consider it an element of Tesla focusing on its strengths — quality EVs and a high level of customer service.

What I notice about Tesla is that everybody and his dog is watching and talking about this company.  If you go on finance websites like SeekingAlpha.com, you’ll see an incredible bulk of writing, each author with his own insight, his own special set of reasons to be bullish or bearish.

Perhaps the reason is the celebrity of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which is driven chiefly by his willingness to take on challenges of enormous proportion, and then succeed against what appears to be insurmountable odds.  Musk doesn’t seem to be trying too hard to find the limelight, but certainly winds up in its glow with amazing frequency.

Another issue here is the vastness of the stakes.  Tesla represents the concept of using technology to overthrow the entire auto industry or “Detroit,” as we think of it.  Musk is fighting from the outside in, something that no one thought possible.

In any case, Tesla is a bright spot in a world that can be all to dreary and mundane.  My thanks to Jon for keeping us all apprised.