Looks like Tesla’s first mainstream offering will be here a little earlier than expected.
In a series of Sunday night tweets, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that the first production-spec models of the $35,000, highly-anticipated Model 3 electric vehicle will be ready by the end of the week. The first 30 customers in line are expected to receive their cars at a handover party scheduled for the 28th. Musk also says that Model 3 production will ramp up exponentially, aiming to produce 100 cars in August, 1500 in September, and reaching a monthly Model 3 output of 20,000 in December.
“SN1” stands for Serial Number 1, by the way.
According to The Verge, production is slated to approach 500,000 per year in 2018. To put that into perspective, the Tesla Model 3 now has over 400,000 pre-orders and counting.
Last seen undisguised at a California Supercharger, the Model 3 represents Tesla’s first foray into the mass market with a starting price significantly lower than anything it’s made before. Average transaction prices, however, are expected to be quite a bit higher than its much-quoted $35k sticker, but that’s besides the point (and pretty par for the course for this class of vehicle, anyways).
Expect to see these invade Instagram and Starbucks parking lots everywhere over the coming months.