Tesla is storing so many unsold Teslas in America’s parking lots you can allegedly see them from space

According to reports, in the first quarter of 2024, Tesla produced 433,371 vehicles.

The same reports state that 386,810 units were delivered, meaning there were around 47,000 spare cars kicking about.

Not to get geeky or anything, but that’s more than double what it was a year ago, and the company’s biggest imbalance to date.

Why has it happened? More on that shortly, but in the meantime, here’s where the spare cars have ended up.

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In other Tesla-related news, this one sold for half the price because of one word written on the windshield, while the cofounder of a robotaxi company gave an honest review of Tesla’s self-driving mode.

But back to the surplus Tessie’s – Sherwood has been doing some digging and believe they’ve found where they’re hiding out.

How did they find them?

They used satellite imagery and object detection analytics from the part observation marketplace SciFi.

These tools were used to look at imagery of Tesla’s Gigafactory outside Austin, Texas.

Comparing a picture from a Thursday last month to a Thursday in March, it’s clear to see that the parking lots outlined in green in the images are far fuller.

Truth behind the tale

According to Sherwood, a Gigafactory production lead who was recently laid off, shared that those parking lots hold finished Teslas before they’re shipped off.

What’s more, SciFi also shared satellite imagery of Chesterfield Mall west of St. Louis, which is where Jalopnik previously reported Tesla has been storing excess inventory.

But if the truth be told, Tesla stock is taking up space at parkings lots across the country, as well as at airports.

What’s the reason behind the excess Tesla stock?

It’s a very valid question and one that has a variety of answers.

The long and short of it is, Tesla is dealing with a number of headwinds, including slowing EV sales growth, growing competition, and – we hate to say it – chaotic leadership.

But, look on the bright side – if you’re in the market for a new Tessie, you shouldn’t have to wait long to get behind the wheel.