Tesla Model 3 Production Starts Friday, Musk Says
CARS.COM — Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced late Sunday in a series of tweets that the first production model of the new entry-level Model 3 will roll off the assembly line on Friday and that the first 30 deliveries to customers will come July 28.
Related: Report: Tesla Will Limit Configurations of Model 3
Musk tweeted that the $35,000-to-start electric sedan had passed all regulatory requirements to be certified for sale ahead of schedule. He said that production would ramp up to 100 cars in August, 1,500 in September and that it “looks like” 20,000 a month is doable by December.
Handover party for first 30 customer Model 3’s on the 28th! Production grows exponentially, so Aug should be 100 cars and Sept above 1500.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 3, 2017
Looks like we can reach 20,000 Model 3 cars per month in Dec
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 3, 2017
The first cars will go to the several-hundred-thousand people who have placed reservations; the company has said that people who order now can expect delivery in mid-2018 or later. If they all exercise their reservations later, buyers may no longer get the full $7,500 federal tax credit, which begins phasing out when a maker reaches 200,000 total sales.
The Model 3 will be smaller and not as luxurious as the current, more expensive Model S luxury sedan and Model X premium SUV. It is expected to have a range of more than 200 miles, with more details of capabilities and features expected soon.
At a recent shareholder meeting, it was revealed that Tesla will debut an electric semitruck in September and teased an image of a more mainstream-priced Model Y SUV that Musk indicated will use a new platform and production plant and is scheduled to arrive in 2019.
