Parking lots filled with Tesla vehicles have become an increasingly conspicuous sight, showcasing the electric automaker’s relentless production pace that seemingly outstrips its sales. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, Tesla churned out 46,561 more vehicles than it managed to deliver to customers. So, where do all these surplus cars end up? They find temporary homes in parking lots situated at Tesla’s factories, shopping centers, and airports.
Take the Chesterfield Mall, for instance, located approximately 20 miles west of St. Louis. This mall, emblematic of the current state of American retail, is on the brink of demolition to make way for a $2 billion mixed-use development. Until its final days on August 31, the mall’s owner, The Staenberg Group, is maximizing every revenue opportunity. Tim Lowe, a senior vice president at The Staenberg Group, elaborated to KTVI:
“We devised a plan to explore alternative uses for the remaining infrastructure of the mall before its demolition. One such use includes leasing out parking space for various purposes.”
Tesla is one of the notable tenants utilizing this opportunity. Despite having a dealership in the nearby Chesterfield Valley, Tesla lacks sufficient space to accommodate all the vehicles it produces. Hence, they’ve resorted to renting space in the mall’s parking lot to store their surplus inventory.
According to Lowe’s estimates, the Chesterfield Mall currently hosts at least 300 Tesla vehicles. However, Tesla shows no signs of slowing its production. Recent aerial footage captured at the company’s Fremont, California factory reveals a continuous flow of vehicles rolling off the assembly lines to fill the sprawling parking lots on-site. This trend isn’t limited to the United States; even in Europe, specifically in Neuhardenberg, Germany, a small town of fewer than 3,000 residents, complaints have arisen about the noise generated by Tesla transporters as they ferry cars to the nearby regional airport for parking.
