Tesla Q3 2017 Earnings Call — Production Hell
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About this appearance
The first Tesla earnings call where the full scale of the Model 3 production crisis became public. Musk described being in 'production hell' — a phrase he'd use repeatedly — and explained why Tesla had made a catastrophic mistake automating too many manufacturing processes simultaneously. He acknowledged the company was below even 20% of its production target. The call was notable for its candor and set the narrative for twelve brutal months of Tesla's hardest-ever operational period.
Topics
Memorable moments
First public use of the phrase 'production hell': 'I've had friends who've been to hell and back. That's what this is. Production hell.'
Admits Tesla over-automated the Model 3 line: 'Humans are underrated. The excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake. To be precise, my mistake.'
Rattles off the three simultaneous bottlenecks — battery module, general assembly, body — that were each independently keeping production below 1,000 cars per week.
