Tesla is opening Model 3 online configurator to everyone

After two years of Model 3 reservations, Electrek has learned that Tesla plans to open the Model 3 Online Design Studio this week to let anyone order a car in the US and Canada – bypassing the reservation process.

Last month, Tesla updated the Model 3 online configurator with new pricing and options.

At the same time, it invited all reservation holders in North America to place an order for all configurations except for the standard battery pack, which is still not in production.

Now that everyone in North America has access to the design studio with a reservation, which requires a $1,000 deposit, Tesla is skipping that part of the process and opening the Model 3 design studio to everyone without having to place a reservation first.

Here’s a look at the updated online design studio:

The move to open the design studio comes after we reported this weekend that Tesla is about to stop ‘anti-selling’ Model 3 with the Performance version hitting the market.

Despite the change, sources told Electrek that Tesla is still going to prioritize the orders from reservation holders.

For example, reservation holders hanging on for the standard battery pack, which is not planned to enter production until the end of the year, are still going to be able to order based on when they placed their reservation, which could have been over 2 years ago at this point.

The Model 3 design studio should be available to everyone tomorrow.

Sources have also told Electrek that Tesla informed its sales staff that stores will get Performance Model 3 vehicles by the end of the month.

Electrek’s Take

Tesla’s reservation process for the Model 3 has been somewhat controversial. The level of priority reservation holders ended up getting has been questionable.

Aside for first-day reservation holders in California, who clearly were able to order before anyone else, the rest of the rollout has been murkier.

It has been exacerbated by Tesla’s geographic rollout of the Model 3 and limiting the available configurations.

For example, I placed a reservation on the first day, but as someone waiting for the performance version in Canada, I was only able to place my order last month when everyone was able to place an order.

Unless I end up getting my Model 3 before people who placed their reservation after me, which I doubt will happen since I have the same delivery window for my order as anybody else, it will mean that I gave Tesla a $1,000 2-year long interest-free loan.

From that perspective, the reservation process wasn’t really useful. I am sure it was successful in other ways.

What do you think of Tesla’s reservation process? Let us know in the comment section below.