Musk said that he expected around 20 to 30 people to show up at Tesla stores to place orders, not the hundreds that showed up at some places. As of yesterday, Tesla had received more than double the number of Model 3 preorders it had anticipated, with 7AM on Saturday morning being tallied at 253,000 global orders.
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The Model 3 appeals to him in part because Porter said “Tesla is kind of the Rolls-Royce of the electric auto business”.
The Q1 total of 14,640 deliveries was down somewhat from the 17,400 deliveries (almost all Model S sedans) recorded in Q4 2015, something Tesla attributes to parts-supply issues with the Model X. The automaker will have to work hard to ramp up production, delivery and servicing requirements for the model and will probably face stiff competition from other makers of electric autos, she said. The company, which releases its sales figures by the quarter, stated that it sold 12,420 Model S and 2,400 Model X vehicles in the first quarter.
Demand is so high that it may be hard for Tesla to keep up with production – Mr Musk said the company is “definitely going to need to rethink production planning”.
He says the auto will be rear-wheel-drive with optional all-wheel-drive, and its steering controls will feel like a spaceship.
According to BBC News, the company’s goal is to produce about 500,000 cars a year once production is at full capacity.
Superchargers are coming to Mexico this year and will hopefully “cover all of Italy” by the end of 2016. The Model 3, though not exactly cheap, will help the company appeal to a new group of customers, who for the first time may find one of the sleek electric vehicles within their price range.
“Tesla is addressing all three root causes to ensure that these mistakes are not repeated with the Model 3 launch”, the company said.
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Boasting a range of 215 miles, and able to reach 60mph in less than six seconds, the Model 3 does not compromise on Tesla’s reputation for luxury or speed, with Musk commenting during the reveal: “At Tesla, we don’t make slow cars”.
