Tesla Testing Model 3 Deliveries Straight From Factory To Homes

One of the many problems Tesla faces is the logistical issue of actually getting its mass-produced vehicles to their owners. The electric car manufacturer is apparently testing a new method to bring cars directly to buyers from factories, with outspoken CEO Elon Musk overseeing one delivery personally.

Customer Devin Scott tweeted photos of the home delivery on Sunday. Musk retweeted it, explaining that the process used a trailer to get the car to Scott from the plant.

While that particular delivery could be considered a promotion for Tesla, there is still some substance to it. Home deliveries are not new, but Tesla has never offered the option straight from the factory before, according to electric car site Electrek. Usually, Tesla vehicles are taken to delivery hubs near buyers rather than directly to their homes.

It has been clear for a while that Tesla needs to streamline the delivery pipeline in any way it can. Earlier this month, the firm opened up Model 3 orders to the general public. Around the same time, Tesla started testing out a faster checkout process for new owners who show up to retrieve their Model 3s from delivery centers.

The changes reflected a renewed confidence in the company’s ability to efficiently produce Model 3s. However, it can still take several months for Model 3 owners to actually get their cars. Musk had to personally dispute an analyst report that customers were canceling orders en masse.

As CNET pointed out, home deliveries straight from the factory might not do much to reduce the strain on deliveries. It might still ultimately be more efficient to stick with the local delivery center model.

Regardless of the method, getting more cars to more customers might be the trick to easing investor concerns about Tesla. After a series of PR disasters ranging from contentious Musk tweets to reports of unsafe working conditions at the Fremont, California, plant, Tesla (TSLA) shares have slipped in the last six weeks.