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No sign of Tesla shipping to Australia / New Zealand

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S

SteveWest

2012 Roadster 2.5, 2014 P85+, 2015 P85D
Jul 15, 2012
175
5
New Zealand
#1
As the only owner of a Tesla in NZ, and holding signature reservation #3, I am running out of patience with Tesla.

We were told in August 2012 that "RESERVATIONS are now being accepted for 2013 delivery.” and "Specification and production sequencing will begin in early in the new year with deliveries commencing mid 2013.”

The promise of a 2013 delivery was repeated again in the October 18 and 26, 2012 newsletters ("Now taking Reservations for 2013 Delivery”).

Then, when in December 2012 price increases were announced, the December newsletter assured that "This price increase will not apply to anyone who has or makes a reservation by end of day on December 31, 2012”.

So with the promise of a “mid-2013” delivery, and the promise that I would not be subject to a price increase, I placed my order in late December 2012.

It is now November 2013, and we have still have not been given:
(a) Pricing, estimated or otherwise
(b) Australasian specifications (including but not limited to charging standard and Signature / Signature Performance specifications)
(c) Timetable for Configuration, Delivery
(d) If, or when, Supercharger(s) will be built in Australia and New Zealand

The silence from Tesla on these issues, coupled with reducing the Australasian staff to 1 person, hardly inspires confidence that Tesla is are planning to ship cars to Australasia any time soon, if at all.
 
#3
It seems like no place, including the U.S. with our initial launch, gets the actual launch date correctly. It would dishearten me too, but take solace that Tesla does eventually come through.
There are frustrated reservation holders in Germany, France and several other European countries as well as Hong Kong when I read through the threads in this community.
Hopefully you can hang in there and you will get to drive the world's most advanced automobile :smile:

I will say there is one plus side to the delay, and that is you will be much less likely to experience the 'early adopters' problems in production which they are solving as they go along. The Model S has evolved quite a bit since March of this year when I received mine, and though I wouldn't trade that for getting to drive it these past 8 months, it's something positive at least. My guess is you will actually get yours in the first quarter of 2014 if their past deliveries are any indication. I would keep pestering them though so you don't fall off of the radar.
 
#4
2nd calendar quarter 2014, I suspect.

Frustration from my point of view is that the prices keep increasing, and lower-end options disappear (e.g.; 40kWh packs). By the time this actually arrives, many will have been priced out of the market.
 
#5
Every time I contact them directly I am told it is going to happen. My guess is June 2014. I, like you am frustrated to the point of putting down expression of interest money on the BMW i3. Some movement in regard to staff/ showroom would give me some confidence. It would also help to finally get some specs/ prices for this market.
 
#6
Dborn said:
Every time I contact them directly I am told it is going to happen. My guess is June 2014. I, like you am frustrated to the point of putting down expression of interest money on the BMW i3. Some movement in regard to staff/ showroom would give me some confidence. It would also help to finally get some specs/ prices for this market.
Click to expand...

For the love of God, don't jump to the i3 because of the wait/frustration. Trust me on this, you will regret it. I end up talking to 3-4 Aussies a day in Waikiki who don't know what kind of car I'm driving, but are just smitten with the looks of it. This is not to mention how it drives. It's really tough waiting, believe me I know, but it is all worth it once it arrives. That i3 is really ugly and the reviews on how it handles are really really bad too. Hang in there guys!
 
#7
Don't assume that their delay in moving into new markets is just poor execution and failure to meet deadlines. Tesla is still just a startup company and they are making many of these decisions based on their rate of growth and sound business decisions regarding how quickly they expand and invest into infrastructure. I would rather they spread a little more slowly and remain financially secure than try to go everywhere at once and take on incredible risk. It will be worth the wait. The i3 isn't even a competitor to the Model S so even considering it as an option seems a little ridiculous to me. Leaf buyers will be i3 customers, not Model S customers.
 
#8
StephenM said:
It seems like no place, including the U.S. with our initial launch, gets the actual launch date correctly.
Click to expand...
Yep. Tesla *always* launches things late. *Everything* they've done has been late -- too much optimism at HQ. Some people are now just adding 3 months to any date Tesla announces. Given the delays in European delivery and the apparent focus on getting UK deliveries going, I'm guessing Australia will come in mid to late 2014 with Hong Kong soon after; New Zealand may have to pester them even more, because it's a smaller market.

I will say there is one plus side to the delay, and that is you will be much less likely to experience the 'early adopters' problems in production which they are solving as they go along. The Model S has evolved quite a bit since March of this year when I received mine, and though I wouldn't trade that for getting to drive it these past 8 months, it's something positive at least. My guess is you will actually get yours in the first quarter of 2014 if their past deliveries are any indication. I would keep pestering them though so you don't fall off of the radar.
Click to expand...
The more recent cars definitely have fewer service issues. And a better options selection in many ways.

REGARDING SPECS. It appears that Tesla is trying to minimize the differences in specs between different markets. Expect to have the same selection of options as the US and Europe do. Charging is the big question mark, of course. I would guess you'd get the European plugs because you have three-phase power.

REGARDING PRICING. I would apply the current exchange rate, add 10% to cover Tesla's shipping and currency fluctuation costs, and guess that that's roughly what you'll be charged. Expect a higher price if your currency has been fluctuating a lot against the dollar. Yeah, the price has been going up, and people will be priced out. :-(
 
#9
Tesla is currently both production constrained (can't make enough to address all markets) and R&D constrained (can't expand R&D budget too much given the need for good quarterly earnings numbers). They are going to have to prioritize and unfortunately the RHD markets seem to be coming last (after the overall LHD European market). The RHD version is definitely still coming (UK/Japan market is important and they got plenty of orders in HK also), so I wouldn't write off Australian/NZ orders that quickly.
 
#10
neroden said:
Yep. Tesla *always* launches things late. *Everything* they've done has been late -- too much optimism at HQ. Some people are now just adding 3 months to any date Tesla announces. Given the delays in European delivery and the apparent focus on getting UK deliveries going, I'm guessing Australia will come in mid to late 2014 with Hong Kong soon after; New Zealand may have to pester them even more, because it's a smaller market.
Click to expand...

My complaint is not so much about the production delay, but the TOTAL lack of communication from Tesla about the delay, and the complete lack of any assurance that we will not be disadvantaged by the delay (beyond having to wait).

For instance, in December 2012, configuring a Performance Model S in multi-coat red, 21" wheels, tech package, studio sound, and rear facing seats came to $106,520 (excluding federal rebate).
The exact same configuration (as best as I can tell) would cost $116,620 if ordered today.
 
#11
I note that in the UK, they opened a store at least two months ago, and maybe more. Their first deliveries are expected March. Given that we are supposed to get sigs here in Autumn, which would be two to three months after the UK, there should be a store opening about now or in January. How can we be expected to order sight unseen, and with no opportunity for a test drive or even being able to see real colour samples rather than computer rendering? The lack of ANY guidance from Tesla at this time is hardly encouraging. I will be away from Oz for the whole of January. I wrote to Naomi telling her that and the fact that I did not want to lose my position in the queue, and asking for an update. For the first time, total silence. Not even an acknowlegement of receipt of my communication! Not good, Tesla. You are now beginning to piss off long standing reservation holders, myself since April2011!!!
 
#13
Unfortunately, Tesla HQ's record on communications is consistently awful. Even when I do get someone on the phone it's often like talking into a black hole; no useful information comes *out*.

FWIW, once a service center DOES open, most of the service centers have been pretty good about communications. Although they complain that Tesla HQ isn't communicating with THEM EITHER.
 
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