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- An abandoned shopping mall in Missouri has become an unexpected storage facility for Tesla, as hundreds of unsold electric vehicles continue to accumulate in its parking lot.
- A growing storage problemWhile a Tesla dealership exists approximately 3 miles away, it clearly lacks the capacity to house this growing inventory.
- For Tesla, a company that has historically enjoyed strong demand and even waiting lists for its products, this visual evidence of unsold inventory represents a meaningful shift in market dynamics.
An abandoned shopping mall in Missouri has become an unexpected storage facility for Tesla, as hundreds of unsold electric vehicles continue to accumulate in its parking lot. This unusual situation raises questions about the company’s sales performance and future strategy in the American market.
The sight is striking – row after row of brand new Tesla vehicles packed tightly together, filling the former Chesterfield Mall parking area. This isn’t just a few dozen cars; we’re talking about hundreds of Teslas sitting idle under the Midwestern sun.
A growing storage problem
While a Tesla dealership exists approximately 3 miles away, it clearly lacks the capacity to house this growing inventory. The electric automaker has been renting this makeshift storage space since last year and continues to expand its footprint, with rent being paid regularly as the number of vehicles increases.
This practice of storing unsold inventory away from manufacturing facilities isn’t new for Tesla. Similar situations have been spotted in Florida (where some vehicles were unfortunately vandalized) and more recently in Detroit. The scale of this operation, however, seems noteworthy.
Google Maps Street View images dated June 2023 show the parking lot already filled with Tesla models, suggesting this practice has been ongoing for over a year. One image even captures a car carrier unloading six new vehicles – a snapshot of inventory that keeps growing rather than selling.
Sales challenges behind the stockpiling
The inventory buildup coincides with Tesla’s recent sales challenges. First-quarter revenue for 2025 dropped by a substantial 71%, and April’s performance didn’t bring much relief. U.S. sales for the month fell by 16%, significantly worse than the overall market decline of 4.4% during the same period.
This raises legitimate questions about Tesla’s strategy. What happens if consumer demand doesn’t increase? If these vehicles remain unsold for an extended period, what’s the contingency plan after the lease on this makeshift storage facility expires?
Industry implications
No car manufacturer wants to see their vehicles sitting in parking lots instead of driveways. For Tesla, a company that has historically enjoyed strong demand and even waiting lists for its products, this visual evidence of unsold inventory represents a meaningful shift in market dynamics.
The electric vehicle market in the United States is evolving rapidly, with increased competition from traditional automakers and newer EV startups. Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, once groundbreaking products with few alternatives, now face rivals from nearly every major manufacturer.
This stockpiling situation offers a rare glimpse into the real-world challenges facing even the most prominent EV maker as the market matures. Have you noticed any changes in Tesla’s visibility or pricing in your area? The answers might be sitting in an abandoned mall parking lot somewhere in America.
