When answering a question on some of Tesla Motors’ delays in production at the Code Conference, Elon Musk mentioned one particularly unusual delay: a shootout on the Mexican border. “Things move as fast as the least lucky and least competent supplier,” Musk explained.
Musk then proceeded to list off the variety of things that have delayed Tesla components in the past:
You could think of any natural disaster you could care to name—all of those things have happened to our suppliers. A factory has burnt down, there’s been an earthquake, there’s been a tsunami, there’s been massive hail, there’s been a tornado, the ship sank, there was a shootout at the Mexican border—no kidding.
That delayed trunk carpet at one point. And we couldn’t get—the Border Patrol wouldn’t give us the truck because it had bullet holes in it. We just wanted our trunk carpet. I guess [it was] pretty safe. There was no cocaine or anything in it, so it’s good. That shut down the production line, as an example, for several days.
Watch an exasperated Elon rattle through his list of calamities:
Musk also claims that the company is willing to make these components in-house—just in case one of the suppliers falls through. Man, building cars isn’t as easy as it looks.