Yes, the old buy vs. build conundrum. Tesla is very heavily vertical. I got an "employee tour" several years way back when their factory was less paranoid. Saw where the big rolls of aluminum come in one end and the finished cars glide out the other. Watched large numbers of folks (probably all illegals
) assembling battery packs in expen$ive Freemont CA. It's great to have production right there at your door, until it isn't. Apple has the sense to send its production to Foxconn, where low-paid workers jump into suicide nets during breaks.
Musk is a classic case of where an entrepreneur's creation outgrows him. It gets really troublesome when you decide to use other peoples' money to fund your dream. Once you stumble, the shareholders and PE guys push you out. That's why Musk wants to take it private. Less "help" from those pesky investors.