Tesla sets the Monday deadline for delivery in 2018 – and a $ 7,500 tax credit

Last July, Tesla became the first company to sell 200,000 rechargeable electric vehicles in the United States. It was a milestone for Tesla, but it was also bittersweet as it meant the beginning of the end of the federal government's $ 7,500 tax credit to buyers of rechargeable electric cars. This week, Tesla let customers know they needed to act quickly if they wanted credit.

When Tesla passed the 200,000 mark in July, it launched an 18-month phase-out process. All vehicles sold in the second half of 2018 are eligible for $ 7,500 credit. On January 1, the credit will be cut in half to $ 3,750. Then, on July 1, it will fall again to $ 2,875 before disappearing completely at the end of the year.

Anyone who plans to buy a Tesla car is therefore strongly encouraged to take delivery of the vehicle before the end of 2018. The problem is that it takes a few weeks for Tesla to deliver the vehicles, and the delivery time exact is not certain. This gave customers a reason to worry about the fact that they could order a car in October without having it arrive before January, which would cost them $ 3,750 in tax breaks.

This week, Tesla responded to this concern by posting a notice on its website: "All orders placed before October 15, 2018 will be delivered by the end of the year and eligible for credit. 39, federal tax of $ 7,500. "

The end of the quarter tends to be hectic for Tesla. By the end of June, Tesla was eager to reach its goal of making 5,000 model 3 cars a week. At the end of September, Tesla was suffering from a "hell in the logistics of deliveries." The company discovered how to put as many cars in the hands of its customers before the end of the third quarter in order to improve its financial results.

Tesla is already strongly encouraged to deliver a large number of cars before Dec. 31 to improve its fourth quarter financial results. The gradual elimination of federal tax credit – and the wave of orders that Tesla could see over the weekend – will not fail to add to the pressure to deliver as many cars as possible before the end of the year, guaranteeing the company a new eventful end quarter.

Until now, no other automaker has announced having reached the ceiling. General Motors is expected to reach it soon, with analysts predicting that GM will reach the limit this quarter or the beginning of next year.