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Though production launched last July at the company’s plant in Fremont, California, a series of snags have left Tesla struggling far short of expectations. After announcing worse-than-expected earnings last month, Musk recently insisted production is “absolutely on track” to reach target by mid-year. Sullivan is one of many skeptics. And even if the Tesla CEO is right, he notes that the company will be well behind on meeting the estimated 400,000 or so advance reservations for the Model 3, some potential buyers now likely not to take delivery until 2019 or beyond.

Related: Is Tesla's Model 3 likely to sink the company?

That is, of course, if they don’t ask for their $1,000 reservations back. And many appear to be doing just that, at least if Chevrolet dealers in some parts of the country are to be believed. They’ve been reporting that some potential Model 3 buyers have given up on waiting and are now buying Chevy’s own long-range electric, the Bolt EV.

Giving credence to that claim, General Motors CEO Mary Barra this week announced that the automaker will be ramping up production of the Bolt — which beat the Model 3 to market by about six months.

That said, Chevy’s expectations for Bolt are modest. Sales totaled just 26,000 last year. That was more than the Model 3, but if Tesla meets expectations, its compact electric sedan would generate sales of as much as 400,000 vehicles annually.

GM itself plans to launch two more battery-electric vehicles by mid-2019, and 25 by 2023. Volkswagen will have 50 coming for its various brands, and even launch an all-new sub-brand called I.D. That includes a fully electric take on the classic VW Microbus, to be called the Buzz, as well as the big Vizzion sedan that debuted in Geneva this week.