The crowdsourced, social media swarm that is betting Tesla will crash and burn

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: Tesla vehicles are displayed in a showroom in Manhattan on April 04, 2019 in New York City. Tesla announced a first quarter 31% drop in vehicles that were delivered to customers compared to the prior quarter. The news caused the stock to drop approximately 8%. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

It’s a sunny day in March and “Machine Planet” is flying a single-engine Cessna over Northern California. He’s cruising at 1,500 feet toward a massive lot leased by electric-car maker Tesla. His mission: to burst the Tesla bubble. And make some money doing it. 

What he sees today makes his eyes widen: more than 100 car-carrier trailers, the kind you see on highways hauling new cars to dealers. They’re lined up in neat rows. Empty. Idle.