Australia Releases New National AI Plan, Opts for Existing Laws to Manage Risks 
Trump Administration to Secure Equity Stake in Pat Gelsinger’s XLight Startup 
Baidu Cuts Jobs as AI Competition and Ad Revenue Slump Intensify 
AI-Guided Drones Transform Ukraine’s Battlefield Strategy 
Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature 
Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation 
Intel Boosts Malaysia Operations with Additional RM860 Million Investment 
Banks Consider $38 Billion Funding Boost for Oracle, Vantage, and OpenAI Expansion 
Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman 
Amazon and Google Launch New Multicloud Networking Service to Boost High-Speed Cloud Connectivity 
Coupang Apologizes After Massive Data Breach Affecting 33.7 Million Users 
Apple Leads Singles’ Day Smartphone Sales as iPhone 17 Demand Surges 
Hikvision Challenges FCC Rule Tightening Restrictions on Chinese Telecom Equipment 
EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp 
YouTube Agrees to Follow Australia’s New Under-16 Social Media Ban 
Microchip Technology Boosts Q3 Outlook on Strong Bookings Momentum 
As electric car enthusiasts know, the Tesla Model Y is the latest addition to the company’s lineup after its delivery timeline was adjusted a few months earlier than planned. The timeliness of its release has apparently helped the company report a good first-quarter performance despite the COVID-19 crisis that started to peak in the United States in March.
Tesla Model Y release boosts company’s delivery target
In an SEC filing, Tesla reported having delivered around 88,400 electric car units, 76,200 of which are shared by the Model Y and the Model 3. The company did not indicate specific delivery numbers for each car model. However, one can assume that the crossover SUV would still account for a significant share considering it is the latest car released.
Out of the 102,672 produced in the first quarter of 2020, Tesla also reported that it delivered 12,200 units of Model S and Model X. “Model Y production started in January and deliveries began in March, significantly ahead of schedule. Additionally, our Shanghai factory continued to achieve record levels of production, despite significant setbacks,” Tesla reported.
The total number of cars Tesla delivered is quite impressive. Considering that analysts have estimated an average of 77,400 cars delivered by each automaker in Q1 2020, Tesla’s performance is noteworthy.
How Tesla maintains social distancing while fulfilling deliveries
The Tesla Model Y was initially anticipated to be released in late 2020. But as the end of 2019 came closer, the company’s timeline kept changing, leading to the March delivery target that Tesla was able to accomplish.
Customers in the U.S. and Canada confirmed they received email confirmations in late February, promising that the Tesla Model Y they ordered will be delivered in mid-March at the earliest. Meanwhile, confirmed cases of coronavirus infections in the U.S. started to climb significantly in March, but that has not stopped Tesla from fulfilling deliveries.
Within the second half of March, Tesla announced it would continue to deliver vehicles but with a new and “touchless” process to maintain social distancing. That practically meant no direct interaction between customers and Tesla employees. Customers will pick up their cars at a designated parking lot, fill out necessary documents placed inside the vehicle, and leave those papers at Tesla’s assigned office.
