Wednesday, January 31, 2018

"Tesla Model 3s bought by firm selling Tesla’s secrets: report"

There is a downside to being out front early.
From the Mercury-News' SiliconBeat:
Tesla’s competitors want to know the secrets of the company’s Model 3 entry-level electric sedan, and they’re willing to pay more than $500,000 for them.

That’s according to a new report saying a Chicago-area engineering company has bought several Model 3s for about $100,000 each, from third parties.

Caresoft Global is pulling the cars apart, doing high-tech imaging scans and “selling data and technical insights to Tesla competitors — for upward of $500,000,” the Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 30.

Production delays have beset the car — which starts at $35,000 — and only a few thousand Model 3s at most have so far been delivered to customers, and many of those have gone to Tesla employees.

“A shortage of Model 3 sedans has created a frenzy among curious competitors, Tesla enthusiasts and auto reviewers to get their hands on the electric car,” the WSJ reported (paywall).

“Investors and competitors are devouring any morsel of information.”...MORE