In a new interview, Elon Musk agreed with some harsh criticism of Telsa Inc. vehicles. and advised not to buy Tesla vehicles during an increase in production.
The extraordinarily honest interview – even for an extraordinarily honest CEO like Musk – with engineering consultant Sandy Munro aired Tuesday on the YouTube channel and podcast “Munro Live.”
Musk received a clear answer when asked about quality control issues: “It took us a while to eliminate the production process. Friends ask me, “When should I buy a Tesla?” And I’m like, “Well, either buy it right at the beginning, or when production reaches a steady state. During that production ramp, it is very difficult to be in the vertical climb mode and get everything right in the small details. ”
Paint problems also surfaced in December, Musk said, in an effort to produce as many cars as possible before the end of the year. “One of the things that happened when we started production was that the paint didn’t necessarily dry enough,” he said. “So it’s like going faster … it’s like discovering these things. For example, if we knew them in advance, we would fix them in advance. “
“Production is hell,” Musk said.
This could be a concern for future buyers, as Tesla TSLA,
plans to open new plants in Texas and Germany in the coming months and start production of the Cybertruck pickup and semi-large platform by the end of the year.
See also: Apple could build a fully autonomous electric car with Hyundai-Kia: report
During a rough demolition in 2018, Munro compared the Tesla Model 3 sedan to a quality Kia from the 1990s. “I can’t imagine how they launched this,” he said at the time. (Munro came later and liked later versions of the Model 3.)
In an interview, Musk said he agrees with Munro. “I thought your criticism was correct,” Musk said.
Musk also admitted that the seats in the early versions of the S were terrible, “probably the worst seat of any car I’ve ever been in,” Musk said, noting that he used to call the seat a “stone toadstool.” ”. This stimulated a more comfortable seat design in the Model 3, which Munro complimented.
Munro is not the only one who criticizes Tesla’s quality. Consumer Reports last year ranked Tesla second in a reliability survey. “Only the Model 3 sedan is reliable,” Consumer Reports said in November, hitting the Model S, Model X and Model Y compact SUVs.
However, that didn’t hurt Tesla much. The company delivered nearly 500,000 vehicles last year, and analysts expect that number to increase to 800,000 this year. Tesla shares have risen by more than 480% in the last 12 months.