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It's Now Quicker to Get a Model 3 Than an S or an X If You're a Tesla Owner

Tesla announced recently that it's pushing the release of the standard-range base Model 3 version toward the end of 2018 for the U.S. and early 2019 for the rest of the world in an effort to maximize profits.
Teslas charging at Supercharger station 1 photo
Photo: Tesla Inc.
That, however, has had an unexpected effect on the time it takes the company from processing a newly placed reservation for a Model 3 to actually delivering the sedan. Presumably, a large part of the initial reservation holders are waiting for the $35,000 version, which means Tesla might have already burnt through most of those based in the U.S., so it's ready to take new orders.

It turns out that if you live in the U.S. and you already own a Tesla, you can order the new model right now and should receive the invite to configure the car in a few weeks. From then, provided you opt for the single-motor extended range version, it's only a matter of one month or so before you can actually pick the car up.

However, in a strange twist, it looks like there needs to be a certain average for the waiting time between all Tesla models because, according to electrek, S and the X buyers are now given four to five months delivery times. That's four to five times more than what the U.S. customer was previously used to.

Apparently, there a pretty simple explanation for it. The high demand for Tesla's more luxurious vehicles is so high that the orders are piling up creating an impressive backlog. Most people feared the Model 3 would bite out a big chunk of Model S and X sales, but it looks like there's plenty to be had for everyone.

We suspect that's mostly due to potential buyers from outside the U.S. who are put off by the prospect of having to wait another year or so for their Tesla so are digging a bit deeper in their pockets for one of the two larger models.

Whatever the case, it's probably a situation Tesla likes to find itself in. As long as things don't get out of hand and the orders lying in wait start to reach tens of thousands, it should all be OK particularly since Tesla expects a combined S and X production of 100,000 for 2018.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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