Tesla model 3 when will they be available?

[jeffand]

Tesla is promising that the Model 3 will be shown sometime in 2016. If this true it could be at the 2016 CES show in Las Vegas that we get to see the Model 3. As for production this is determined by battery pack availability. When we talk about batteries and Tesla in the same sentence the name gigafactory comes to mind. The gigafactory is key to the model 3 production plans. This is the only way Tesla can supply the needed battery production volume required. Building construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015. Manufacturing equipment to be installed in 2016. Battery production to start in 2017. Full production ramp up to 500,000 battery packs a year by the end of 2020. So the soonest we could see the Model 3 in production would be sometime in the second half of 2017.

 

[hybridbear]

I like the fact that Tesla is trying to promote BEVs, but I don't trust anything they say for timelines. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[michael]

I agree. It seems to take a long time between unveiling a new car and when you can actually buy one. In the case of Volt, it was 3 years 11 months.

A February 2011 article in Car and Driver described the I3 so BMW had announced it sometime earlier...it went on sale in May 2014.

I guessing 3+ years until anyone can buy a Bolt. Longer yet for a Tesla 3.

I'm still waiting for Ford to announce its 200 mile EV....waiting...waiting...

 

[jmueller065]

The FFE was introduced in the 2009 Frankfurt auto show and entered production December 2011.

 

[michael]

According to the insideevs.com monthly scorecard, sales began in earnest in May-June 2012. Frankfurt is in September-October, so about 2 1/2 years later. But remember that the FFE has the advantage (contrary to what the purists would maintain) of being built on an established platform. This almost certainly reduced the risk and the issues to be resolved.

 

[pjam3]

They have not even delivered or really shown the Model X yet, so the Model 3 probably won't be around till like 2018-2019. And the Gigafactory hasn't exactly been built yet, but that's really just for batteries, not production of cars. Tesla has done a lot of great things, but actually making and producing a ton of cars every month is not their strong suit. So having a Model S, Model X and a Model 3 all being built and delivered in mass quantities just doesn't sound like something they are close to doing yet. If you order a Model S now it could take 2-3 months for delivery. And that car has been out for some time now.

Unless they wind up being bought by somebody else or partner with another manufacturer, I just don't see anything from Tesla for $35K till like 2018-2019.

 

[jmueller065]

Um Model X prototypes have been seen out on the road lately:
http://blog.caranddriver.com/tesla-says-20000-model-x-crossovers-reserved-prototypes-spotted-in-traffic/

 

[gabrielle rousselov]

Thank you for pointing out that Tesla is already a year and a half late with Model 3, so if it shows up in January 2017, it'll maintain the record of lateness. It's reassuring.