Elon Musk Says $200,000 Tesla Roadster Will Be Delayed Until 2023

Video source: YouTube, Tailosive EV

Tesla Inc’s (Nasdaq: TSLA ) chief executive officer Elon Musk said the EV maker is delaying deliveries of the new version of its Roadster sports car until 2023, at the earliest.

In a tweet Wednesday, Musk wrote, “2021 has been the year of super crazy supply chain shortages, so it wouldn’t matter if we had 17 new products, as none would ship. Assuming 2022 is not mega drama, new Roadster should ship in 2023.” 

After first revealing plans for the second-generation Roadster in 2017, the Silicon Valley-based company said the $200,000 high-performance electric car would debut in 2020.

In May 2020, Musk admitted the Roadster was still years away from production, though earlier this year he hinted it may be released as early as late summer 2022.

Production of two other highly anticipated Tesla vehicles — the Cybertruck pick-up truck and the Semi commercial tractor trailer — was also recently pushed back from 2021 to 2022.

During earning calls in recent quarters, Musk and other Tesla executives have discussed supply chain problems, emphasizing chip shortages in particular, CNBC noted.

During the second-quarter shareholder call in July, Musk said the company went through a “big struggle” to acquire enough modules that control airbags and seatbelts in their cars, an issue that limited production at factories in Fremont, California, and Shanghai, China.

In May, Musk said the rising cost of parts and raw materials amid supply chain pressures prompted Tesla to raise the price of its popular Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. 

The ongoing global semiconductor shortage has forced numerous manufacturers, including Ford Motor Company, Nissan Motor Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, Volkswagen and General Motors Company, to halt production while they try to replenish supplies. 

Further, of course, COVID-19 outbreaks fueled by the Delta variant in Asia and other regions are continuing to create delays in the supply chain and exacerbating the global shortage. 

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Source: Equities News