Email receipt upon Tesla employee ordering Model 3
Last week we exclusively reported that employees would have early access to Model 3 reservations and this morning, employee sources have confirmed that the invitations went out at around 1am PT. Employees weren’t given a look at the Model 3 or any of the specs and are ordering it sight unseen. Two different sources say that almost everyone they knew in the company would make a reservation, again sight unseen, so Tesla should have a pretty good orders start with its 15,000 strong employee base…
Tesla’s current customers are going to be prioritized over new customers though it isn’t clear if everyone is going to be ordering at the same time – or if current Model S/X/Roadster owners will be getting a similar early access email as the above employees in the coming days.
Tesla plans to have working prototypes available at the launch party in Los Angeles but won’t start delivering orders until the end of 2017, a full year and a half away. Meanwhile, Chevy plans to start selling its 200-mile $35,000 Bolt at the end of this year. Tesla will try to compel people to wait for the Model 3 with a glitzy show that no doubt will feature new innovations.
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- Tesla Model 3 unveiling event will feature functional prototypes, not pictures
- Tesla will prioritize Model 3 reservations for current Tesla owners over non-owners
- Model 3 Event: Lottery invites go out to Tesla owners for 7PM Pacific March 31st event in Los Angeles
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So glad on behalf of the Tesla workers, they deserve the early-bird access. Interesting to see the prioritization between:
– Tesla employees
– Existing Tesla Model S/X owners
– Tesla referral competition winners
– Consumers purchasing a fully loaded Model III
– Normal customers camping outside the store
– Normal customers ordering among the first online
– US vs rest of the world orders
Tesla did the right thing by giving their employees early access to reservations for Model 3. Most I’m sure don’t have the means to buy a Model S or X.
Also an incentive to have the cars built right from the get-go. And the employees will be the bulk of the early beta testers.
Makes sure all the employees get the full $7500 federal tax credit before it expires, which is thoughtful, too.
I wonder if they are allowed to pre-order more than 1. if so, very slim chance non-owners and non-employees to get the $7500 discount.
The Bolt is $37,500 and looks kinda like a Honda Fit. Ill wait for the model 3. I can only assume Ford will be releasing an all electric “E” car sometime. Why else would they think someone would confuse a Tesla with Ford?
It’s a great way to validate the ordering system before the onslaught that will happen on III-D-Day. Besides as we found out on Model X. Your reservation has practically no bearing on your delivery. It’s more important to understand your delivery is more impacted by the number of options you order on your vehicle. More options = shorter line.
They probably also didn’t want Tesla employees taking off work on the 31st to reserve a Model 3 in store. I bet Tesla won’t send an email to let current Tesla owners reserve their Model 3 ahead of time. That would take away from the lines at the stores which they want for the free advertising. It would be very easy for Tesla to give current owners priority in their system after all of the reservations come in.
Who gets priority: first reserved (employees), or most optioned ($$$)?
Cars with similar options are batched. Tesla has to do this for production efficiency. So I’m pretty sure we’re going to see a delivery order something like this:
— employees who ordered a common, high-end configuration
— employees who ordered a common, lower-end configuration
— non-employees who ordered a common, high-end configuration
— non-employees who ordered a common, lower-end configuration
— employees and non-employees who ordered uncommon configurations (not enough employees with that configuration to make a batch)
Well, hey, the employees already know it will be:
(1) an automobile
(2) 100% electric
(3) with a >200 mile range
(4) a four-door sedan
(5) with a $35K base price
That’s really all you need to know to order the car, right? 🙂
That’s right, if it is a Tesla. 🙂
Actually, I think the employes know a little more than that. Even point (4) is new to me…