Tesla Model 3 spurs global waiting list frenzy

Man waiting for Tesla store to open in Toronto

As reservations open for Tesla’s Model 3 on March 31, prospective car owners lined up outside of the automaker’s stores to be the first to own the anticipated vehicle.

The Model 3 will not go into production for almost two years, but that did not stop fans from camping out in line to guarantee their spot in the queue. With much speculation about Tesla’s entry-level electric vehicle, the automaker has created a rush to its stores typically only seen during Apple product launches.

Lining up
At the time the lines opened, details of Tesla’s Model 3 had not been unveiled. The automaker has scheduled an official reveal for 8:30 p.m. PT on March 31.

Consumers who wanted to make their reservation before the unveiling needed to head to their Tesla store. Each local store, from Australia to Montreal, began taking reservations when it opened.

Tesla shared photos of the loyalists lined up outside its stores waiting for the moment they could add their name to the list. The brand encouraged consumers to share their own user-generated content from the line in the comments section of its Facebook page.

Woooow! Model 3 line at Bellevue, WA

Posted by Tesla on Thursday, March 31, 2016

Consumers could also make a reservation online, but they need to wait until the live unveil to do so.

To make a reservation, consumers needed to deposit $1,000, or similar amounts in other currencies. Tesla has set up separate queues for each region, and is giving current owners priority in line.

Production of the Model 3 will begin in late 2017, with deliveries beginning on North America’s west coast and moving east. From there, it will begin delivering to Europe and Asia Pacific.

The Model 3 is expected to be Tesla’s most accessibly priced vehicle yet, with a number of sources saying it will cost around $35,000.

Electric vehicles will not make up the majority of the market for at least two more decades, according to a new report by Lux Research.

Currently, electric powertrains are limited in the class of vehicles they serve and are primarily limited to the luxury market and high price points. Luxury electric vehicles will eventually have a trickle-down effect, but there are still untapped markets to take advantage of in the electric vehicle segment (see story).

Adding an entry-level vehicle to its array may help Tesla reach a portion of the population that it was unable to serve before.

from
http://www.luxurydaily.com/tesla-model-3-spurs-global-waiting-list-frenzy/