"It's a bad time for Tesla to have to close its only car plant in North America. Until earlier this month, it had been on a roll: Its stock hit an all-time high of more than $900 in February, following strong results in the second half of 2019. It overcame its long tradition of missing deadlines by starting deliveries of the Model Y ahead of schedule. It just made its 1 millionth car, and recently topped Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction ratings by a wide margin."
"The "shelter in place" orders came from six Bay Area counties, including Alameda, home to Fremont. They command the closure of workplaces for the next three weeks, with exemptions for "essential" businesses, including first responders, police, court personnel, grocery stores, banks, and restaurants (which can only offer delivery or takeout). For the most part, it's up to businesses to determine if they're essential. Tesla's factory, which employs more than 10,000 people, doesn't fit any of those categories."
Tesla entered 2020 with strong momentum: record-high stock in February, early Model Y deliveries, a millionth car milestone, and top owner-satisfaction ratings. The spreading pandemic halved the share price as Chinese electric-car purchases collapsed and recession fears dampened demand for luxury vehicles. Tesla nonetheless sold nearly 4,000 vehicles in China in February, outpacing many competitors. Bay Area shelter-in-place orders require closure of workplaces for three weeks with exemptions for designated essential businesses. Tesla's Fremont factory, employing more than 10,000 people, does not clearly fall into exempt categories, leaving the company to assess essential status amid enforcement that emphasizes the orders' spirit.
Read at WIRED
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