The announcement of Tesla Model 3 in early 2016 captured the interest of several car enthusiasts worldwide. Not only the automobile lovers who could shed off some extra bucks are interested in the Model 3, but also the mid-range buyers. Thus, hundreds of thousands of early reservations were made for the company's first mass-produced sedan. This is good news indeed for Tesla, but the challenge lies with the expected production and delivery of Model 3 units over the next several months.
As reported by Business Insider, Tesla has already recorded around 500,000 pre-orders since March 2016. Subtracting the cancellation of reserved Tesla Model 3 sedans prior to this date, there are still around 455,000 existing orders, a number that is still huge that it could pose issues in the production stage of the car model. Moreover, Tesla is still receiving a daily average of 1,800 pre-orders after the company's hand-over party in July 2016.
Business Insider noted that at the current rate of pre-orders for Tesla Model 3, those who made their reservations today cannot expect the electric sedan parked in their garage until mid-2018, although that is the earliest estimated time frame for delivery. Specifically, the official website of Tesla listed the Model 3 Premium variants with white interior and standard specs to commence delivery in fall this year. The Premium trim, costing roughly $44,000, can run 310 miles after being fully charged, while its acceleration goes up to 60 mph within 5.1 seconds.
Those buyers who reserved a Tesla Model 3 unit with further upgrades can expect longer delivery time. Also, those people who made the reservations outside the United States will get their Model 3 sedans at a later time, possibly as late as early 2019 for the right-hand drive variants.
As for the price comparisons for the Tesla Model 3, Green Car Reports stated that a car enthusiast who opts for an upgraded Model 3 sedan will have to pay the equivalent of a C-Class Mercedes Benz sedan, which cost around $55,000. The price of a higher-end Tesla Model 3 also compares to that of a BMW-3 Series and Audi A4.
On the other hand, the base model of Tesla Model 3 sits at $35,000, which is suited for car enthusiasts with mid-range budget. It is argued that a $30,000 selling price for a bare Model 3 without upgrades is still quite expensive compared to similar rechargeable sedans. However, a standard Tesla Model 3 still boasts features that are not present in a modern sedan. These features include emergency braking, Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, keyless entry, and special controls activated by the user's voice.
