Strictly on the car front (which largely ignores Tesla's real growth potential) ... Ford also maintains an extensive dealer network which can disincentivize so

Strictly on the car front (which largely ignores Tesla's real growth potential) ... Ford also maintains an extensive dealer network which can disincentivize some painful adjustments that otherwise might need to be made to be more aligned with future sales, etc. People talk about direct sales for Tesla usually in a negative connotation due to institutionalized friction (re: lawsuits / political favoritism), but I think it's a strong asset in a savvy marketplace, and can illustrate how established infrastructure isn't always for the best. One less mule for the cart to pull, IMO. I also think there are some signs that existing manufacturing practices can be / need to be rewritten around an all elective drivetrain. For instance, Tesla plans to operate its lines at full-speed using some new "invasive" robotic procedures that the full-glass roof of the model 3 will afford. This has dramatic labor and capital consequences for an automaker with a diversified fleet. Might be costly to rebuild the machine that makes machines. https://electrek.co/2016/09/15/elon-musk-confident-that-tesla-can-attain-staggering-20-fold-increase-in-production-speed-in-fremont/ https://electrek.co/2016/09/15/elon-musk-confident-that-tesl...