“When will I get my Model 3?” Tesla’s new Model 3 Reservations FAQ includes delivery estimator

Jameson Dow | Jul 29 2017 - 3:34 am PT

After tonight’s delivery event (click through to see our coverage, including specs and first drive), which included only brief comments by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Tesla has now posted a long-needed “Model 3 Reservations FAQ” on their support site with a few of the answers which people hoped they would get tonight during the delivery event.

The most notable answer, of course, is: we can’t tell you exactly when you’ll get your car, but we’ll give you a window of a few months. Other important ones include: early cars will start at $49,000 with lower option configurations coming within the next few months, supercharging hardware is standard but supercharging is not free, financing (loans) will be available but not leases, owners can only use their owner priority on one Model 3 for each Tesla they currently own, and international orders will not be filled until at least late 2018, or 2019 for right-hand-drive markets.

The page is pretty self-explanatory, but we thought we’d highlight a few of the answers here.

The first question, of course, is “when will I get my car?” There’s a link which shows approximately when you can expect to get your car, based on whether you want a “first production” model (upgraded battery, premium options, $49k), “standard battery” ($35k model), or dual-motor. Your date is based on when you placed your reservation, whether you are an employee and whether you own a Tesla. There’s no mention about geographic favoritism for west-coast reservation holders.

Here’s an example of what the page currently looks like:

It’s being updated as we speak, so things will change (an employee from Tesla’s inside sales team said in an email that the website is still being worked on). In fact, the estimated delivery date has changed multiple times for me, along with the associated RN numbers, which means it seems like the site is not properly associating accounts with the reservations attached to them at the moment. Perhaps we’ll have to wait a few days before the site settles down and gives people a “more accurate” estimate.

After loading the page several times and seeing time frames from four or five different RN numbers, I’ve seen a range anywhere from Sep-Oct ’17 to Mar-May ’18 (the latter window appearing for two reservations made in October ’16 and July ’17). Since the system is bugging out right now, there’s no way to confirm whether most of those timeframes belong to owners or employees, line-standers or internet reservers, but all I’ve seen so far have been placed either on March 31 or April 1. In the coming days I’m sure we’ll see owners assemble a survey of estimated delivery dates attached to time of order, location and owner status to get an idea of what the trends are.

The S-curve image used in the title of this article is a rough estimate of the Model 3 production ramp, showing 5k cars/week produced by the end of the year, though the x-axis is not otherwise labeled, suggesting that Tesla doesn’t have hard expectations on exactly how many cars will be produced each month between now and then.

There is also a list of release dates for various vehicle models: White and non-premium interiors in Fall 2017, Standard battery and $35,000 car in November 2017, and dual-motor all-wheel drive in Spring 2018. “Additional options” are promised later, and we certainly hope one of them is an eventual performance package. The earliest cars will only be configurable with wheel size, exterior color and Autopilot features, and will start at $49,000 before those options are added.

Supercharging hardware is standard, though Tesla says that a “small fee” will apply (no mention of any included “free” supercharging, a la the Model S “400kWh free per year” arrangement). The “rear glass roof” is also standard.

Tesla will offer purchases and loans on the cars, but there is no mention of leasing options. This perhaps complicates things, given that the $7,500 federal tax credit is “non-refundable” and doesn’t roll over, which means that if you don’t have $7,500 of federal tax liability in a given year, you can’t take the full credit. Other companies get around this by leasing cars, and the lessor (manufacturer/leasing company) taking the credit and passing on savings to the lessee (customer), but with no leases, this seems like it will not initially be possible with a Model 3. Tesla will accept trade-ins, though.

Invitations to configure your car will come via the email address associated with your Tesla account, and Tesla encourages reservation holders to configure as soon as possible upon receiving the email in order to get the earliest delivery they can. When invited to configure, you will be able to save your place in line and wait until later if you’re not ready to pull the trigger.

Current Tesla owners, despite being able to reserve a maximum of two cars each, will only be able to use their owner priority on one car per Tesla they already own. Owners who have two Teslas already can use their owner priority on two reservations.

See the full FAQ below:

Model 3 Reservations FAQ

I have a Model 3 reservation. When will I be invited to configure my car, and when can I take delivery?
You can find your estimated delivery date now here.

We are working hard to deliver Model 3 to reservation holders as soon as possible and will give you frequent updates on our progress to build and deliver your car.

Our production ramp will follow an S-Curve, meaning that it will begin slowly, grow exponentially, then start to trail off once we achieve full production. This is because we can only go as fast as our slowest supplier or production process (and the Model 3 has almost 10,000 unique parts). It’s difficult to predict which step this will be until we get further into the production ramp.

How will I receive an invitation to configure my Model 3?
We will send you an invitation to configure your Model 3 to the email address you used to place your reservation. Confirm your email address is up to date here. Invitations will be sent based on the date and time you placed your reservation, whether you are an employee, if you own a Tesla, and if we have started production in your country.

Which future options will be made available to order, and when?
We are planning to introduce the following options in the coming months:

Fall 2017: White interior option, standard configuration (non-Premium Upgrades)
November 2017: Standard Battery, $35,000 car
Spring 2018: Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive

Additional options will become available over time.

Will there still be a $35,000 Model 3 option?
Yes. Our first production Model 3 vehicles are preconfigured to ensure a smooth production ramp so that we can deliver more cars to more customers at a faster pace. The beginning configuration is a Long Range Battery with rear-wheel drive and premium upgrades, starting at $49,000. These vehicles come with three options for customization: wheel size, exterior color and Autopilot features.

Additional configurations, including the Model 3 with standard equipment for $35,000, will become available as production ramps, which we expect to be in November 2017.

We are shipping our first cars to employees now and expect to begin shipping the Long Range Battery configuration to customers in late October. The Standard Battery configuration will be available very soon thereafter.

Which features come standard with Model 3 for $35,000?
Model 3 is designed to be the safest car in its class, with 220 miles of range, and zero to 60 mph acceleration in 5.6 seconds. Standard features also include full self-driving hardware, Supercharging capability, a rear glass roof, a 15” touchscreen display, Wi-Fi and LTE internet connectivity, free over-the air software updates, full LED lighting, and an 8-year, 100,000 mile battery warranty.

Will I be able to see and test drive Model 3?
In the coming months, you will be able to test drive Model 3 on display in select Tesla stores. We will share more information on test drives soon. Sign up for the Tesla newsletter to receive the latest news, events, and product updates.

When will international deliveries begin?
Every country has its own set of rules and regulations, which means that we effectively must build a different car for different markets. This means international Model 3 deliveries will begin in late 2018, contingent upon regulatory approvals, staring with left-hand drive markets, followed by right-hand drive markets in 2019. We wish we could do all this faster and get you your Model 3 right away. No action is required from international reservation holders now. We will contact you closer to the start of production for your country.

What type of payment options are available for my Model 3?
We currently support cash purchases and loan financing on Model 3. You can apply for financing through your Tesla account as your delivery day approaches.

Does Tesla accept trade-ins?
Yes. When your Model 3 order is confirmed, you can request a trade-in through your Tesla account.

Will I be eligible to receive incentives for purchasing Model 3?
You may be eligible for local or federal tax incentives when you purchase your Model 3. We recommend speaking with a tax professional for guidance, as some incentives may depend on your personal tax situation. For more information, please visit tesla.com/incentives.

Will I need to order Model 3 as soon as I receive my invitation?
For the fastest delivery of your Model 3, we encourage you to place your order as soon as you receive your invitation. The invitation to configure your Model 3 will have a link which will allow you to either configure your vehicle, or save your place in line and wait until later to order. We will continue to send invitations to reservation holders on a rolling basis, however delivery timing cannot be confirmed until an order is placed.

Where can I take delivery of my Model 3?
We will assign you a delivery location based on your registration address after you’ve confirmed your order.

I have relocated to a different state or country since placing my Model 3 reservation. How can I update my address?
You can update your registration address in your Tesla account here.

Can I use my Tesla owner priority on more than one Model 3 reservation?
Yes. If you own one Tesla, you will receive priority for one Model 3 reservation. If you own two or more Teslas, you will receive priority for up to two Model 3 reservations.

Is there a way to accelerate my Model 3 invitation and delivery?
Tesla owners receive priority Model 3 orders, so you can accelerate your Model 3 invitation and delivery by purchasing a Model S or Model X first. Otherwise, the fastest way to receive your Model 3 is by placing your order as soon as you receive your invitation.

What is the cost of Supercharging for Model 3?
Model 3 comes standard with the hardware necessary to utilize the global Tesla Supercharger Network. A small fee will apply for Supercharging—which is only a fraction of the cost of gas