Tesla announced through Twitter that the company will be doubling its global mobile service fleet in 2018. But will doubling fleet capacity be enough for a company that could end up tripling its sales this year?
Turns out 80% of repairs can be done without visiting a service center – we’re doubling our Mobile Service Fleet globally this year pic.twitter.com/gW3dJKkYgA
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 23, 2018
Tesla has been very clear from the start that Mobile Servicing will be a standard feature in their plans. Tesla’s global store and service locations increased from 62 in 2012 to 339 by the end of 2018 first quarter.
But the number of Teslas on the road increased from 5,000 by the end of 2012 to more than 350,000 units by the end of the second quarter of 2018. When you look at both the charts side by side it becomes clear that service capacity did not keep its pace with sales.
Tesla planning to double its global mobile service fleet is certainly a step in the right direction. But Tesla should get even more aggressive in expanding its service centers as it adds more hands to its mobile service fleet.
CEO Elon Musk wants Tesla to start building half a million to million Teslas by 2020. Service capacity needs to scale up furiously to match the aggressive pace of growth. No one, including Tesla, wants a repeat of the service issues and long waiting times Tesla customers faced in Norway.
Norwegians are right to be upset with Tesla. We are having trouble expanding our service facilities in Oslo especially. Can solve quickly with Tesla mobile service vans, but awaiting govt permission to do so.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2018
