Orlando Tesla dealer may close
Employees at Orlando’s Tesla dealership didn’t know Friday if the electric car showroom and sales center will close after founder Elon Musk announced a major shift in how the company would sell vehicles.
Tesla said Thursday in a letter to employees say the company would close most of its dealerships and leave only a handful left in “high traffic areas.” The letter said that most Tesla sales take place online and that closing the dealerships would allow it to lower costs on vehicles by about 6 percent.
Employees who answered the phone Friday at the Orlando dealership said they had not been notified about the it closing and for now it would remain open.
“Over the next few months, we will be winding down many of our stores, with a small number of stores in high-traffic locations remaining as galleries, showcases and Tesla information centers,” said the letter that Tesla shared on its website. “The important thing for customers in the United States to understand is that, with online sales, anyone in any state can quickly and easily buy a Tesla.”
In a call with reporters Friday, Musk declined to say how many dealerships would close or when, the Associated Press reported.
Tesla opened the 100 Lake Destiny Drive dealership in 2015 after relocating from a smaller facility in Longwood.
The closures will help the company realize the goal of selling its Model 3 all-electric vehicles at a $35,000 price point, the letter said.
For existing Tesla customers, maintenance would shift to mobile repair crews.
“At the same time, we will be increasing our investment in the Tesla service system, with the goal of same-day, if not same-hour service, and with most service done by us coming to you, rather than you coming to us,” the letter said.
Despite focusing on online sales, Tesla opened the Orlando dealership and others in hopes to comply with federal law that required physical dealerships to sell cars.
“The important thing for customers in the United States to understand is that, with online sales, anyone in any state can quickly and easily buy a Tesla,” the letter said.