Tesla Unveils $35,000 Model 3 Electric Car, Shipping Late 2017

[Dmunjal]

Wel, Im thinking realistically which is what most people do. Your particular use case might fully support EV's. Not everyone elses do though. Cant just blanket the entire nation into one vehicle use case. You know better than this. How we gonna move goods from state to state or whereever? Electric 18 wheelers? With about 500 batteries to power them. Good Luck with that. Its a rolling hydrogen bomb too. Bad idea. What about contractors and other jobs where a tiny EV simply wont cut it? There are plenty of cases where an EV wont cut it.

Sure - old clunkers that are out of tune spew junk into the air. We all get that. But modern cars burn quite clean. There arent that many junkers on the road as an overall percentage of vehicles out there.

Maybe some of us LIKE our V8 sedans and sports cars with gas engines? There is such a thing as personal preference here too. Ya ever driven a powerful BMW or Audi? Ya ever drive or ride on an exotic/sports car? Cant replicate it with batteries

Consumers may or may not save with an EV. As many of us have stated - the jury is out for longevity with these things. Whats the battery lifespan? How long is the warranty? You might save on gas costs, sure, but if that battery needs replacing and its out of warranty you may have just negated all of the fuel savings due to the super high cost of replacement. You have to think about this stuff.

This EV "group hug / Kumbaya" stuff is all feely-good but its not reslistic for everyone and many questions remain. Those are the facts.

Most trucks are going to NG, not EV. EV is for the masses. There is more than one solution to get the world off oil.

The EV revolution is happening. It will take a decade. But naysayers said the same thing about all major trend changes.

 

[smacrumon]

While that is good for Tesla, it still remains to be seen how many Tesla will actually deliver by 2020 and how many of those deposits get refunded. right now, an EV is a novelty that appeals to a rather narrow slice of the car market. But even 300K over 2 or 3 years is a drop in the bucket; what remains to be seen is the demand after the early adopters get theirs. A real vote of confidence for EVs is when the major manufacturers stop making them as mere curiosities and they become a regular fixture on showroom floors. Right now, manufacturers are focused on hybrids, which is good because it helps get the technology out their in a variety of vehicles and as manufacturers learn from that experience they will transfer that knowledge eventually to any EVs they build. EVS will get there, but I don't think it will be this decade.
[doublepost=1459877758][/doublepost]

The required number to ensure I get to A-B depends being able satisfy my desire relative to how fast, how much fun, what I am hauling and what I plan to do when I get there.

Well most people don't open their wallet paying $1000 on a novelty, I suspect at least 90% keep their Tesla orders because they're buying into the future not the past. Delivery for Model 3 is expected to begin in late 2017 and the factory has capacity to build 500,000 per year.
I repeat hybrid is last decade's technology. We've moved on from that to fully electric vehicles. The fact that traditional manufacturers haven't produced EV is telling about their business models and the motives to keep fossil fuel production continuing. Hybrids use fossil fuels that's why electric vehicles are the future and that future is here today. Open the bonnet on a gas guzzler or a hybrid, what a mess! Check out the Tesla underneath, just pure simplicity and beautiful. There is nothing to learn from hybrids, that technology is dead on arrival. It's an electric future today.

 

[jlc1978]

Well most people don't open their wallet paying $1000 on a novelty, I suspect at least 90% keep their Tesla orders because they're buying into the future not the past.

It still be interesting to see what happens, especially since Tesla expects the average delivered price to be 42K not 35K so a few people may get sticker shock. I'd guess some will get tired of waiting as well. Since it is a refundable deports, there is no worry about buyer's remorse since they can simply ask for their money back.

Tesla's challenge is they are hot now but who knows what other manufacturers may come out with that appeals to the same market? If EV's are really taking off as you said Tesla may have trouble hanging on to the preorders.

Delivery for Model 3 is expected to begin in late 2017 and the factory has capacity to build 500,000 per year.

Actually Tesla says it has 80K capacity now, which means about 3 years to get through the preorders, and plans to ramp up to 500K by 2020.

I repeat hybrid is last decade's technology. We've moved on from that to fully electric vehicles. The fact that traditional manufacturers haven't produced EV is telling about their business models and the motives to keep fossil fuel production continuing. Hybrids use fossil fuels that's why electric vehicles are the future and that future is here today. Open the bonnet on a gas guzzler or a hybrid, what a mess! Check out the Tesla underneath, just pure simplicity and beautiful. There is nothing to learn from hybrids, that technology is dead on arrival. It's an electric future today.

Ok, we just disagree there. Only time will tell.

 

[Tummy]

I think Elon mentioned that they lost about 25% of the preorders for the Model S and X. Those were $5,000 deposits. I would expect probably higher percentage of the Model 3 preorders to drop out especially those that will not get the tax benefits.

For car manufacturers that do not have Tesla's supercharger network, I think the plugin-hybrid will be the solution in the next couple years. Perhaps electric with a small range extender generator like BMW has in the i3. It actually makes sense to keep the cost and weight down. You have the ability to cover the average commute easily on one charge covering 95% of the trips and just fill up with gas when going further. It also keeps dealer service centers busy with traditional gas engines for a while longer. I actually think this is a better solution for the next 5-10 years than all electric. For longer trips even a 30 minute recharge is annoying and hauling around huge batteries for the few times you might use them doesn't make much sense.

It's rare to have companies with shareholders who are willing to take hundreds of millions in losses every quarter while building out superchargers and giga factories. Amazon is probably the only other company like that which comes to mind. That is one reason why traditional car manufacturers haven't done what Tesla has done. Their shareholders would simply fire the executive team if they sustained such losses.

 

[aarond12]

Fully charging the battery takes about an hour...

I'm aware of that. ALL fast-charging standards (CHAdeMO, CCS, Tesla) take a while to completely top off the battery. However, getting to 80% charge is very quick. About the amount of time you need to pee, eat, and buy some snacks for the road.

When charging from a 110V outlet, you get less than 4 miles of range per hour charged. Fully charging a 200-mile vehicle takes literally days.

That's why I said "in a pinch". Those few miles you get from an overnight 120V charge might be exactly what you need to make it to the next fast charging station. The benefit is that you have electric plugs everywhere, so even in the worst of cases, you can at least trickle charge. No one said anything about trying to fully charge a flat battery from a 120V outlet.

...the majority of the population in urban areas has no place to charge at home.

You are correct. Many apartments and town homes don't have charging capabilities, but that is changing. Several California cities are mandating charging stations for apartments and mandating pre-wiring for EVSEs in homes. People in urban areas, however, have mass transit that people in the suburbs don't really have. You also have a higher density of public charging stations in urban areas.

The Model 3 will be my third electric vehicle. Most of the nay-sayers have either no idea of what it's like to have an electric vehicle (going presumably on what other people have said online) or have unrealistic expectations given today's battery technology.

I have never run out of power on either of my EVs; I've never dropped below 1 bar of power. How? I am realistic about my vehicle. I don't try driving to Oklahoma City in my EV because there are no charging stations between here and there. My EV has more than enough range for my daily and weekend driving needs. Longer trips are taken using my wife's gas-powered vehicle, but that is rarely more than once every 3 months.

The Model 3's 200+ mile range will be enough that we will never have to use the wife's car for our longer trips.

 

[Sonmi451]

I think Elon mentioned that they lost about 25% of the preorders for the Model S and X. Those were $5,000 deposits. I would expect probably higher percentage of the Model 3 preorders to drop out especially those that will not get the tax benefits.

For car manufacturers that do not have Tesla's supercharger network, I think the plugin-hybrid will be the solution in the next couple years. Perhaps electric with a small range extender generator like BMW has in the i3. It actually makes sense to keep the cost and weight down. You have the ability to cover the average commute easily on one charge covering 95% of the trips and just fill up with gas when going further. It also keeps dealer service centers busy with traditional gas engines for a while longer. I actually think this is a better solution for the next 5-10 years than all electric. For longer trips even a 30 minute recharge is annoying and hauling around huge batteries for the few times you might use them doesn't make much sense.

It's rare to have companies with shareholders who are willing to take hundreds of millions in losses every quarter while building out superchargers and giga factories. Amazon is probably the only other company like that which comes to mind. That is one reason why traditional car manufacturers haven't done what Tesla has done. Their shareholders would simply fire the executive team if they sustained such losses.

Plug-ins are a stopgap solution at best. You lose a lot of the benefits of an EV by adding an engine. All plug-ins do is hinder the EV revolution. Unless you can't afford a 30k car, or you drive long distances often, there is almost no reason to get a hybrid. As far as the tax benefits, some people may drop out, but with 300k pre-orders already, more people will just get their cars earlier. By the time this car is shipping, they're going to have an insane amount of pre-orders already. This car is going to be sold out for a few years. As far as shareholders, I don't think you understand how it works. Tesla is putting profits back into infrastructure and manufacturing. Tesla may be a publicly traded company, but Elon Musk does not care about the share price.

 

[smacrumon]

It still be interesting to see what happens, especially since Tesla expects the average delivered price to be 42K not 35K so a few people may get sticker shock. I'd guess some will get tired of waiting as well. Since it is a refundable deports, there is no worry about buyer's remorse since they can simply ask for their money back.

Tesla's challenge is they are hot now but who knows what other manufacturers may come out with that appeals to the same market? If EV's are really taking off as you said Tesla may have trouble hanging on to the preorders.



Actually Tesla says it has 80K capacity now, which means about 3 years to get through the preorders, and plans to ramp up to 500K by 2020.



Ok, we just disagree there. Only time will tell.

So you can drive away with a great Tesla Model 3 at 35K, before any incentives. But you can also add options to your Model 3, and Tesla expects an average price with options, could be 42K, before incentives. But a Model 3, which is superb car compared to everything else on the market, with 5 star safety in all categories, is $35K, before incentives.

People who have paid $1000 to reserve their Model 3 know that delivery could take some time, and most will be happy to wait and follow through with their order. Tesla expect to begin shipping next year late 2017. People love everything about the Tesla story so far, they're happy to ride the wave and support this company and give it some time to grow.

Even though Tesla has made its patents available to all manufacturers, other manufacturers have done nothing of substance. If other manufacturers do move into the EV space, which hopefully they do, they have no chance of catching up to Tesla at this point. That's because other auto companies don't believe in electric vehicles, it's not part of their core identity, because it doesn't fit their 1900's business model. For example, electric vehicles have been rejected by General Motors time and time again. This rejection of the technology is to their future detriment. I wouldn't trust any other brand of auto maker to produce an electric car. Tesla has my business, it has my Model 3 reservation.

500,000 cars per year is Tesla's goal. The Tesla factory in Fremont has been able to output almost 500,000 cars in the past, so they expect to reach that number with Model 3.

I'm not sure if you're deliberately distorting the facts here about the Model 3 or electric vehicles in general. But, if you need to clarify your understanding, you might wish to watch the Tesla Model 3 launch video with details straight from Tesla's mouth:

 

[theluggage]

I don't think you'll find those deals in the UK.

I think we currently get a £4500 government rebate on EVs (less on more powerful hybrids with significant CO2 emissions - have to double-check the i3 range-extender) and no annual vehicle tax but I'm fairly confident in saying that a £25-30k car for £40/month ain't gonna happen. £100/month (~$150) for a £12k car is more like it, so I'd guess ~£200-£300/mo for an i3. (its impossible to say without making serious enquiries).

Thing is, I generally plan on getting the thick end of 10 years out of a car, have the cash to buy outright and am far happier spending cash when I have it than entering into long-term agreements with penalties - all the leasing plans I've seen only make sense if you want a new car every couple of years. Yeah, at £40/mo I'd get two, too...

Apart from the range issue (we've discussed that to death, so lets assume one or two breaks at conveniently-placed charging stations) how do you feel an i3 would stand up to the occasional longer trip involving a few hours behind the wheel, or is it strictly a city car?

(I think it appeals to me because, although the cosmetic styling is a matter of taste, its clearly been designed from the ground up as an EV rather than an ICE car with an electric motor - I guess the same is true of the Tesla but (a) they still look a bit generic to me and (b) the Model 3 is only a small car by US standards. Plus the range extender would help assuage my anxiety which is, basically, 'what happens when life throws a spanner in your carefully planned pit stop strategy?')

 

[jlc1978]

So you can drive away with a great Tesla Model 3 at 35K, before any incentives. But you can also add options to your Model 3, and Tesla expects an average price with options, could be 42K, before incentives. But a Model 3, which is superb car compared to everything else on the market, with 5 star safety in all categories, is $35K, before incentives.

However, even Tesla has said they expect the average price to be around 42K, not 35K.

People who have paid $1000 to reserve their Model 3 know that delivery could take some time, and most will be happy to wait and follow through with their order. Tesla expect to begin shipping next year late 2017. People love everything about the Tesla story so far, they're happy to ride the wave and support this company and give it some time to grow

.

It remains to be seen how many people actually decide to wait 2 -3 years to get a Tesla. I would think many will but the 35k market is a different beast than the 80-100k luxury market. Tesla lost some 25% of those preorders and would expect the Model 3 will match or exceed that number as well. A lot can happen in 2 - 3 years that could impact a buyers decision to stick with their preorder.

Even though Tesla has made its patents available to all manufacturers, other manufacturers have done nothing of substance. If other manufacturers do move into the EV space, which hopefully they do, they have no chance of catching up to Tesla at this point.

I would not bet on that; just because the majors have only made minor move stop EVs doesn't mean they are incapable of moving into that space rapidly if and when they see a sustainable, profitable opportunity.Only time will tell. Porsche and BMW both have done some significant development in that area, for example, even if it is at the high end of the market.

500,000 cars per year is Tesla's goal. The Tesla factory in Fremont has been able to output almost 500,000 cars in the past, so they expect to reach that number with Model 3.

Yes, by 2020, as they have said.

I'm not sure if you're deliberately distorting the facts here about the Model 3 or electric vehicles in general. But, if you need to clarify your understanding, you might wish to watch the Tesla Model 3 launch video with details straight from Tesla's mouth:

There you go again, attacking the messenger because you don't like the message. The numbers I quoted about expected price and Tesla production capacity come directly from Tesla, and have been widely reported. You may not like them, but those are the facts as Tesla sees them.

I get you like Tesla and have bought into the hype. Some of us like tesla and their products but haven't bought into the hype surrounding them.

 

[smacrumon]

However, even Tesla has said they expect the average price to be around 42K, not 35K.

.

It remains to be seen how many people actually decide to wait 2 -3 years to get a Tesla. I would think many will but the 35k market is a different beast than the 80-100k luxury market. Tesla lost some 25% of those preorders and would expect the Model 3 will match or exceed that number as well. A lot can happen in 2 - 3 years that could impact a buyers decision to stick with their preorder.



I would not bet on that; just because the majors have only made minor move stop EVs doesn't mean they are incapable of moving into that space rapidly if and when they see a sustainable, profitable opportunity.Only time will tell. Porsche and BMW both have done some significant development in that area, for example, even if it is at the high end of the market.



Yes, by 2020, as they have said.



There you go again, attacking the messenger because you don't like the message. The numbers I quoted about expected price and Tesla production capacity come directly from Tesla, and have been widely reported. You may not like them, but those are the facts as Tesla sees them.

I get you like Tesla and have bought into the hype. Some of us like tesla and their products but haven't bought into the hype surrounding them.

Wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong. The reporting is wrong. How dishonest. Your figures are not from Tesla. Your data is a spurious mix of distorted information. So sad to experience someone act like this in a public forum.
You can walk away with 5-star safety in every category with a Tesla car for just $35K. Even less with incentives. That's it. Want to add some super extra options, then pay a little more if you like. But, get an awesome Tesla for just $35K.
People have put in orders this past week for Tesla, first deliveries are late next year. Production to occur in the 500,000 capacity manufacturing plant. That's 18 months away. Not 2-3 years. Get factual, friend. (So sad.)
Porsche has one of the most pithy embarrassing projects to talk about, a concept, due in 2021! Ha. And over $US100,000. Good luck reaching the masses with that! Sounds DOA to me quite frankly.
I haven't bought into the hype at all. I've been following the technology for many years, and now it's time to make the move as are many others.

 

[jlc1978]

Wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong. The reporting is wrong. How dishonest. Your figures are not from Tesla. Your data is a spurious mix of distorted information. So sad to experience someone act like this in a public forum.

So I guess Musk and Tesal are wrong and distorting facts...

You can walk away with 5-star safety in every category with a Tesla car for just $35K. Even less with incentives. That's it.

Want to add some super extra options, then pay a little more if you like. But, get an awesome Tesla for just $35K.

From Musk's tweet:

Model 3 orders at 180,000 in 24 hours. Selling price w avg option mix prob $42k

While it starts at 35K Tesal expects to sell it at 42k. Unless of course, Musk is wrong and distorting facts as you claim.

People have put in orders this past week for Tesla, first deliveries are late next year. Production to occur in the 500,000 capacity manufacturing plant. That's 18 months away. Not 2-3 years. Get factual, friend. (So sad.).

That was Toyota's capacity when the ran the plant.

Per Tesla, from their website:

"With a planned production rate of 500,000 cars per year in the latter half of this decade"

The end of this decade is a bit more than 18 months away.

As for current capacity, per Musk:

"In the case of the new S/X Body Line, which is a line that has been designed to be capable of 2,500 units a week, maybe more than that. Conservatively 2,500 units a week."

That's 130K per year capacity. In 2015, Tesla delivers 50K cars. Pretty good, but below their initial, but not revised, estimates.

Tesla is having problems meeting current demand, and it will take time, by their own admission, to satisfy the preorders. Your 500K number is no where near current capacity, as Tesla clearly states. With M3 starting late 2107 it will take a couple of years before all the preorders are delivered.

As for the batteries, also from Tesla's website:

"By 2020, the Gigafactory will reach full capacity"

Facts are a tough thing, especially when they come straight form the company making the product.

On a financial note, Tesla has made half a billion dollars selling credits to other manufactures. As they start making vehicles to meet emissions laws that stream of money will dry up, so success of the M3 is crucial to Tesla's long term viability. Musk has bet the company on it.

 

[smacrumon]

What is your occupation, jlc1978? Professional contrarian? If you are going to make claims, support them with sources please. Orders are up to around 300,000. Everyone wants a Tesla Model 3.
Readers here can get their Tesla Model information from the source:

 

[jlc1978]

What is your occupation, jlc1978? Professional contrarian? If you are going to make claims, support them with sources please. Orders are up to around 300,000. Everyone wants a Tesla Model 3.

What difference does it make? It's not the messenger but the message. My sources,as I said in my post, are direct from Tesla's website, with the exception of Musk's comment on anticipated delivered pricing, BTW. I can't help that you don't like what Tesla says because it disagrees with your viewpoint. I prefer to look at the facts and situation as it is, not as I would like it to be.

You keep focusing on orders, but an order is not a delivered product and the fact remains it will be a number of years before Tesla satisfies those orders, despite your incorrect assertion of a 500k production capacity.

300K cars is insignificant in terms of worldwide deliveries, so not "Everyone wants a Tesla Model 3." BMW sold 400K 3 series last year worldwide (not Germany, as I originally posted) alone, but not everyone wants a 3 series BMW, yet by your metric you would say they do.

 

[theluggage]

You keep focusing on orders, but an order is not a delivered product and the fact remains it will be a number of years before Tesla satisfies those orders, despite your incorrect assertion of a 500k production capacity.

Not sure if this is "agree" or "disagree" but its spin to call these "orders" in the usual sense: as I understand it, people haven't ordered cars in the usual sense, they've paid a (refundable) $1k fee to reserve their place in the queue when orders open. Now, that $1k will go some way towards weeding out time-wasters but I'd still anticipate a huge drop-out rate in 18 months time when many buyers' actually start thinking about where that $35k is coming from.

Pro: As you say, Tesla is unlikely to hit the ground running and start churning out 500k/year in the first year of production - so a large drop-out rate is probably going to mean a higher proportion of happy customers getting their cars on time while the "lost" sales were never real. A large - say 50% - drop-out rate should still leave Tesla in the enviable position of being able to sell every car they can make in 2018,

Con: ...but the press might not see it that way. If you live by the hype, you die by the hype: if Tesla claim $1k placeholders as $40k "orders" today, they shouldn't be surprised when the headlines in 2017 say "Telsa loses $4bn as 100,000 customers cancel their orders!" and the investors start getting spooked.

Its a high-risk strategy: It could be the most brilliant bit of marketing of the 21st century, or it could backfire big-time. I'm slightly reminded of the "curse of Groupon" stories in which Mom & Pop's bakery gets the math wrong and ends up with a million people demanding half-price cupcakes. Or, how many people are thinking "Oh well, I haven't reserved and now Tesla 3s are going to be like hen's teeth until 2020 - what else is there?"

 

[jlc1978]

Its a high-risk strategy: It could be the most brilliant bit of marketing of the 21st century, or it could backfire big-time. I'm slightly reminded of the "curse of Groupon" stories in which Mom & Pop's bakery gets the math wrong and ends up with a million people demanding half-price cupcakes. Or, how many people are thinking "Oh well, I haven't reserved and now Tesla 3s are going to be like hen's teeth until 2020 - what else is there?"

Excellant points. It really is a bet the company strategy. If they can't ramp up production to meet the preorder demand and have vehicles to sell from their showrooms they will be in a tough spot. They have decided they have to get bigger to make the economics work and I hope they pull it off. OTOH, they may become takeover target from a manufacturer that wants the EV credits to offset ICE sales to meet various mileage and other regulations. Musk could very well sell Tesla and use the technology developed for the energy storage business. At any rate, the next few years will be interesting for Tesla.

 

[tbrinkma]

I think you got the point. Looking at the speed specific panel/screen/gauge right in front of your eyes is much less distracting than looking at the monitor in the middle of the car with all that info on it.

Is it? Do you have any sort of citation for that claim? (Now that you've walked the goalposts back a bit, that is.)

 

[jlc1978]

Is it? Do you have any sort of citation for that claim? (Now that you've walked the goalposts back a bit, that is.)

Well, if you look at human factors design in aircraft for example, critical information is displayed in front to the pilot while less critical information is to the side. So, for example, the artificial horizon, airspeed and altimeter are in front, while engine information is to the side.

As vehicles go more and more to glass cockpits incorporating good human factor design will become more important since designers aren't simply following decades of industry design experience with proven technologies.

 

[theluggage]

Is it? Do you have any sort of citation for that claim? (Now that you've walked the goalposts back a bit, that is.)

I'd cite the International Journal of the Bleedin' Obvious (incorporating the Annals of Urso-Sylvanian Scatology and Papal Denomination Review) except that although I have a copy open on the table 2' to my right, for some reason I'm having trouble reading it without turning my head and taking my eyes of the computer screen, wheres I find it very easy to glance down at the keyboard to supplement my imperfect touch-typing skills.

Also, I drive a Mini which was apparently designed by a petrolhead who thought the rev counter was more important than the speedo (as it probably would be in a world without speed cameras) and placed it in front of the driver. I can attest that having the speedo in the center console means that everybody in the car apart from the driver knows the current speed. Fortunately there's an LCD in the rev counter that can be configured to show the speed...

That said (a) I wouldn't read too much into the brief glimpse we've had of the Tesla 3's interior (if it were any more spartan it'd be throwing you down a well) and (b) seriously, it's a Tesla - I'm sure they'd offer time travel, Mr Fusion and hover-conversions if Musk could persuade the laws of physics to take his money, so surely there's going to be a boring old HUD option?

 

[jlc1978]

I
Also, I drive a Mini which was apparently designed by a petrolhead who thought the rev counter was more important than the speedo (as it probably would be in a world without speed cameras) and placed it in front of the driver.

Where god and the inventor of the manual transmission intended it to be.

 

[theluggage]

Where god and the inventor of the manual transmission intended it to be.

God, maybe, but I'm pretty sure that speed cameras - and the resulting need to obsess over mph - were invented by the other guy. I'd also hypothesise that experienced drivers are better at knowing when to change gear without a rev counter than at estimating their speed in mph (which has little to do with judging the 'safe' speed for the conditions, which is often less than the posted speed limit).

 

[jlc1978]

God, maybe, but I'm pretty sure that speed cameras - and the resulting need to obsess over mph - were invented by the other guy. I'd also hypothesise that experienced drivers are better at knowing when to change gear without a rev counter than at estimating their speed in mph (which has little to do with judging the 'safe' speed for the conditions, which is often less than the posted speed limit).

Changing gears doesn't require looking at the tach since you can sense when a shift is needed; but with some experience you can be pretty sccurate at deducing speed from the tach.

Then again, the Mini enjoys the results of that quirky British engineering that also gave us the electric short as standard equipment.

 

[smacrumon]

What difference does it make? It's not the messenger but the message. My sources,as I said in my post, are direct from Tesla's website, with the exception of Musk's comment on anticipated delivered pricing, BTW. I can't help that you don't like what Tesla says because it disagrees with your viewpoint. I prefer to look at the facts and situation as it is, not as I would like it to be.

You keep focusing on orders, but an order is not a delivered product and the fact remains it will be a number of years before Tesla satisfies those orders, despite your incorrect assertion of a 500k production capacity.

300K cars is insignificant in terms of worldwide deliveries, so not "Everyone wants a Tesla Model 3." BMW sold 400K 3 series last year in Germany alone, but not everyone wants a 3 series BMW, yet by your metric you would say they do.

jlc1978 - Your BMW 3 series figures are entirely fabricated and false, overstated many times, see below for a correction.

If your comments are from the Tesla website, please post the direct link supporting your claim. Your claims have been spurious and not accurate, so please provide direct links and a reference so that it can be verified. Can you please do that?

Your occupation does not need to be disclosed. It is important to note however that there are paid professionals that come to forums like these to put into doubt facts and spin false stories. Some of your comments are a giveaway.

Sure - Not all of those almost 300000 paid reservations will convert to actual orders, of course. But even if only half of them do follow through with their reservation, 150,000 Model 3s would amount to more plug-in electric cars than General Motors, Toyota, Ford, BMW, or VW Group has sold in more than five years. Only Nissan has sold more (slightly over 200,000 as of last month). - http://venturebeat.com/2016/04/04/t...-by-gm-toyota-ford-bmw-or-vw-in-past-5-years/

That's just great. I'm so happy for Tesla and the direction their new technology is bringing us all. Tesla has taken a completely fresh approach to automobiles unlike established manufacturers that have been shoehorning different technology onto old tech and trying to swindle consumers.

Now, correcting more of your inaccurate statements: You said "BMW sold 400K 3 series last year in Germany alone" - completely FALSE.

What is correct is that in 2015, across Europe, where Germany is located, there were only 143,023 sales of BMW 3 series gas guzzlers. - http://left-lane.com/european-car-sales-data/bmw/bmw-3-series/

Please be accurate and provide sources or your comments or your account maybe suspended by the MacRumors mods. They don't tolerate these kind of dishonest postings especially where there aren't any sources.

And friend, have a watch the Tesla launch, it contains all the answers to your questions in just a short 20 minutes:

 

[Julien]

The Tesla Model 3 preorders have not topped 325,000.

https://www.teslamotors.com/blog/th...3_040716&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social

 

[s2mikey]

We'll have to see how this all goes. There are quite a few big chest-thumping EV fans here and thats fine. But like any "fans" they are wearing extremely rose-colored glasses and just expect everyone to drop what type of cars and trucks they enjoy to get in line for one of these things. Of course we still do NOT know how these EVs will be long term. Whats the deal with the battery and longevity? Whats the warranty? How safe are they....REALLY?

People like their cars and trucks. Gasoline is a fairly effecient energy source and engines are getting cleaner, leaner, and better mileage all the time.

 

[Dmunjal]

We'll have to see how this all goes. There are quite a few big chest-thumping EV fans here and thats fine. But like any "fans" they are wearing extremely rose-colored glasses and just expect everyone to drop what type of cars and trucks they enjoy to get in line for one of these things. Of course we still do NOT know how these EVs will be long term. Whats the deal with the battery and longevity? Whats the warranty? How safe are they....REALLY?

People like their cars and trucks. Gasoline is a fairly effecient energy source and engines are getting cleaner, leaner, and better mileage all the time.

You forget that this isn't new for some people. The Tesla Roadster has been out for over 6 years and battery life is still fine for most owners. My 2013 Model S has 40K miles and I have about a 2% loss in range. There are many with over 100k miles and haven't seen anything more than 5% loss. That is pretty good and should assuage some of the fears.

Remember, Tesla is improving the battery chemistry all the time.

How can anyone say gasoline is fairly efficient when it on my uses about 20% of the available energy vs. 90% for EV?

Your post is just a lot of FUD.