The days of seeing Tesla stores in fancy malls and retail centers may be over, according to a report from Electrek. Sources tell the site that Tesla will instead focus on finding cheaper spaces, like parking lots and warehouses, that will house a remote fleet of cars. The company also won't be firing its retail staff (it's actually in the middle of a hiring spree). Instead of being tied to individual stores, those workers will help to manage Tesla testing and purchases from those remote locations.
If this news sounds familiar, it's because Tesla previously said it was going to close most of its stores in 2019 before quickly reversing course. This new strategy, if it ends up being implemented, seems to be a smarter implementation of that plan. Most Tesla customers already buy their cars online, so there's less of a need to have pricey mall stores around. The cheaper locations will also be better for holding more vehicles, which should help to satisfy increased demand for purchases and test drives.