Part 8/14:
Instead of a vertical growth model focused on Austin, the alternative plan involves a wide but slow distribution across many states—a "go broad, go slow" strategy. Tesla could initiate pilot fleets in multiple smaller cities with as few as 15–30 vehicles each. These fleets would gradually expand over months, focusing on training, mapping, and regulatory compliance, then scaling incrementally (e.g., adding 100 vehicles monthly once initial thresholds are met).
This approach bears significant operational advantages:
Lower risk: Each city’s approval process is manageable and less eached in complexity.
Parallel momentum: Multiple city launches simultaneously create a network effect and increase coverage.