On August 6, Tesla announced a partnership with Costco in Taiwan. The promotion allowed prospective buyers to view and test drive Tesla cars at selected Costco locations. The first 50 participants were also promised 5,000 km of free Supercharger usage and a complimentary Type 2 charger case. The promotion was scheduled to last for two weeks.
However, shortly after this announcement, Elon Musk took to social media platform X to declare the termination of this initiative. Musk stated, "I just canned this program. Was not approved." This prompt cancellation suggested that the partnership went public without prior approval from higher management levels at Tesla.
The electric vehicle market in Taiwan has seen significant growth due to government subsidies introduced in 2023. Analysts speculate that Musk decided against the Costco partnership believing Tesla's strong performance in Taiwan didn’t necessitate such promotions. This incident underscores Elon Musk's hands-on approach to management which some might interpret as micromanaging. Critics debate whether this reflects poorly on the autonomy and decision-making capabilities of Tesla's local team in Taiwan.
Source: Electrek