• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Tesla To Speed Up Car Production By Two Years

By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 4, 2016, 4:33 PM ET
Courtesy of Tesla

Electric car maker Tesla Motors revealed on Wednesday that it has accelerated its car production plans by two years, showing how the company is willing to invest even more money into aggressively growing, while potentially sacrificing earlier profits.

Tesla originally planned to make 500,000 cars—including the Model S, Model X and Model 3—by 2020. But it now says it will meet that goal by 2018.

The news follows a deluge of reservations for Tesla’s recently revealed mainstream electric car, the Model 3. The Model 3 won’t be shipped to customers until the end of 2017. Musk said on the earnings call that he could expect 100,000 to 150,000 of those cars to be made up by the Model S and X, while 300,000 to 400,000 of those cars could be made up by the Model 3.

Tesla new goal could be difficult for it to achieve considering the company has struggled producing the Model X, its electric SUV. The company acknowledged that meeting the new goal “will be challenging.”

Investors, however, were optimistic, sending Tesla’s shares (TSLA) jumping 5% in after hours trading on Wednesday to $234.

For more on Tesla and the stock market watch our video.

To achieve the production goal, a five fold increase over the next two years, Tesla (TSLA) says it “will likely require some additional capital.” That could mean that Tesla could sell more of its shares in follow-on public offerings, draw down on more credit, or just significantly boost its capital expenditures.

Tesla said that the new production plan will mean that the company won’t likely be able to meet its goal to be “net cash flow positive for the year.” The company will also likely spend 50% more on capital expenditures in 2016 than previously forecast. But the company said that “investing to meet that demand is the best long term decision for Tesla.”

Tesla says it’s also speeding up its plans for the Gigafactory, Tesla’s massive battery factory under construction outside of Reno, Nev. Tesla says its remains on track to make its first battery cells at the factory in the last quarter of 2016 and will adjust “our plans there to accommodate our revised build plan.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Tesla confirmed in its shareholders letter that despite the delays with making the Model X, the company is still on track to deliver between 80,000 and 90,000 cars this year. However because of the Model X delays, Tesla said it produced 15,510 cars in the first quarter, which was below its estimated shipments for the quarter.

Tesla’s revenue for the first quarter of 2016 grew to $1.15 billion, from $939.88 million in the same quarter the year before. At the same time, the company’s first quarter loss widened $282.27 million from $154.18 million during the same period in 2015.

Tesla’s revenue met analyst’s expectations, while its loss beat analyst predictions.

About the Author
By Katie Fehrenbacher
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

India
AIRobotics
India’s AI embarrassment when robot dog made in China put on display by local university
By Rajesh Roy and The Associated PressFebruary 18, 2026
46 minutes ago
SuccessWealth
OpenAI is paying workers $1.5 million in stock-based compensation on average, the highest of any tech startup in history
By Preston ForeFebruary 18, 2026
49 minutes ago
CryptoCryptocurrency
Exclusive: Kraken acquires token manager Magna as crypto exchange prepares for IPO
By Ben WeissFebruary 18, 2026
1 hour ago
all three cogent founders smiling
AItech investments
Exclusive: Bain and Greylock bet $42 million that AI agents can finally fix cybersecurity’s messiest bottleneck
By Lily Mae LazarusFebruary 18, 2026
2 hours ago
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
Zillow’s CTO says AI is reinventing every step of the home buying process
By John KellFebruary 18, 2026
3 hours ago
BankingPredictions
Sports-focused prediction market Novig raises $75 million to challenge Kalshi and Polymarket
By Leo SchwartzFebruary 18, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
AI
Thousands of CEOs just admitted AI had no impact on employment or productivity—and it has economists resurrecting a paradox from 40 years ago
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 17, 2026
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
$56 trillion national debt leading to a spiraling crisis: Budget watchdog warns the U.S. is walking a crumbling path
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 17, 2026
23 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
You need $2 million to retire and 'almost no one is close,' BlackRock CEO warns, a problem that Gen X will make 'harder and nastier'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 17, 2026
23 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump crackdown drives 80% plunge in immigrant employment, reshaping labor market, Goldman says
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 17, 2026
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, February 17, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerFebruary 17, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 15, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.