Tesla Confirms Model 3’s Weekly Production Target

Tesla Inc. confirms it met its promise to build 5,000 Model 3 electric sedans in the last week of June. The final tally was 5,031 units.

Reaching that weekly goal required a 24/7 production schedule. Employees tell Reuters the company mandated weekend shifts and borrowed workers from the company’s Model S and Model X production lines to fill in during breaks. Tesla says roughly 20% of the week’s Model 3 output was accomplished in a makeshift line set up in two weeks under a giant tent.

Analysts duly noted the company’s “burst” production accomplishment. But they point out that the real indicator of Tesla’s success will be its ability to maintain consistently high production levels.

Tesla says it has now produced 41,000 Model 3 cars since the model went into production a year ago. But the company declared last August that it expected to build 100,000 of the cars by the end of 2017 and 400,000 units this year.

Tesla reports its overall output in April-June totaled an any-quarter record 53,300 units. Volume consisted of nearly 28,600 Model 3 cars and a combined 24,800 Model S sedans and Model X crossover vehicles.

During the second quarter, the company delivered 40,700 units to owners. Sales comprised 18,400 Model 3, 11,400 Model X and 10,900 Model S vehicles. Another 11,200 vehicles are in transit to customers and will be counted in third-quarter results.