Who is plunking down $1k?

You have to read between the lines. This means all models 3's will be Signature series or Founders series. Tesla just won't call it that, They'll call it the Model 3 P60D or whatever nomenclature. We as customers will call it a fully loaded Model 3 for $50k. Want the bare bones Model 3 60 for $35,000? Sorry, Tesla won't even bother taking your deposit. Come back in another year or two.

 

Musk noted later on in the earnings call that the company expects the first versions of the Model 3 that are delivered to be "relatively highly optioned versions."

Tesla Model 3 Unveil By March 31, Deposits Accepted That Day

 

I don't know where some of you guys get this stuff.
Tesla will be more than happy to take your deposit regardless of options you eventually pick.
No, there will be no signature series. There may be some founder cars, we don't know yet.
And yes, Tesla is going to start be producing the highest margin cars first.
As a stockholder, I applaud that. After Tesla has spent billions of dollars building up the Supercharger network, their own sales and service infrastructure so consumers can stop being abused by most traditional dealerships, not to mention pushing the auto world in a new direction, almost singlehandedly, they need to recoup funds ASAP.

It is extremely difficult to start a new auto company from scratch, much less one that only sells efficient vehicles and doesn't have gas guzzling trucks and SUVs to fall back on.

 

is there a website with all the info available to date?

 

Pretty much as all car companies do. First Highlander hybrids I saw on the dealer lot were Limiteds with no base trim to be seen.

 

teslamotors.com. tesla.com took me to gandhi.













MERGED







teslamotors.com 'updates' elon musk: 'model 3 should be available in two years.' july 17, 2015

nothing else regarding model 3.


MERGED


i wonder how much pressure they are feeling from bolt.

 

Perhaps, and to different degrees, though not sure how common it is on a model basis.

The subtext was that for anyone hoping to score a deal and get a $35k pre-tax credit Model 3 base trim with a $7.5k federal credit, not to hold ones breath.

The $35k base trim may be the most popular, certainly most affordable. But many don't know that getting in line early with a $1k reservation is no guarantee of any federal tax credit.

Good to have healthy competition. May be replacing my wife's gas burner with one of these two.

 

None, more likely relief.

 

The good news is Tesla shamed GM into coming out with their alternative...which is good for the market as a whole.

 

at least we've seen the bolt. i think. and there's a website with info. hopefully correct.

 

Originally Tesla was going to label there common man car as a model 'E'. However they anticipated issues with Mercedes due to them manufacturing a similarly named vehicle. Ergo the backwards 'E' ... is now a 3.
.

 

Isn't that Ford 'E' symbolic for their Econoline van? Not much market confusion or dilution from there. But the Mercedes E Class might definitely ruffle feathers.

I don't think one could seriously call that reading between the lines. That's more like using Ouija board - Voodo bone throwing or a tarot card interpretation.

.

 

Nah, voodoo bone throwing just takes practice. Tarot card reading? Now that's takes years of training.

 

After thinking about it, by a he time Tesla releases their new model, there will be tons of competition... Just like the prius, it use to dominate the market, today, with competition catching up, there are better alternatives at attractive prices and more bang for the buck.

But who knows, we will have to see.


iPhone ?

 

I doubt it. By the time Model 3 is available the Bolt will likely decrease in price just like the Volt or be decontented like the Leaf S. You're not the only one that would choose a low slung sedan over a stubby hatchback.

 

While I could be totally wrong, I don't think the Model 3 will suffer the same delays as the Model S and X did. They have a lot more experience in designing a car now thanks to the Model S and X. I read somewhere that they more or less have everything they need to know in creating the Model 3, so it'll mostly come down to getting the Gigafactory up and running. And hopefully Elon Musk doesn't demand that some weird stuff be put in it too.

I doubt the Model 3 will have gullwing doors, which is probably 90% of the reason the Model X got delayed for so long. And even if it did, they know what to look for now in creating it, so probably won't have to suffer long delays again for this.

As for putting down a deposit, I'll wait and see what specs will be like, plus I'm still paying off my Chevy Volt, so don't need another car right this instant. But the Model 3 will likely be my next car in a few years.

merged

You know, now that you mention this, I watched "Revenge of the Electric Car" a few days ago. It's a rare look at what was going on in Tesla before the Model S came out, and even then Elon Musk was having lots of trouble keeping the company afloat due to numerous delays and problems they kept finding in early Roadster production vehicles. I found it interesting that one Roadster's problems that was discussed in the documentary turned out to be the very one the filmmaker had reserved. He even points it out, prompting Elon to joke that now he knows why his particular car was delayed.

In a later segment, he also holds a meeting with some early depositors, some of whom are understandably angry at him for suddenly asking for more money on a vehicle they had yet to receive. He even mentions throwing millions of his own personal money into the company just so they could make the payroll.

At that point in time, Tesla was in very real danger of going bankrupt, and could have likely joined numerous other EV companies that went under around the same time such as Fisker and Coda.

My point is that remember all the delays with the Model X? I think Elon insisted that it have gullwing doors no matter what, probably to make it stand out from the Model S, and because hey, it was cool. It probably added some unnecessary problems that could have been avoided were it not for Elon being somewhat of a perfectionist.