Skip to main content

Tesla receives 198,000 orders for the Model 3 in 24 hours

Tesla has announced it has received 198,000 orders for its hotly-anticipated Model 3 sedan in 24 hours, according to a tweet from Elon Musk.

The newest member of the Tesla lineup (pictured) went on sale hours before anyone outside of the company had seen it, but that didn’t stop future owners from excitedly lining up in front of Tesla stores in the United States and abroad in order to place a $1,000 deposit for the sedan. Some went as far as camping out overnight, sometimes in near-freezing temperatures or in the rain, in order to be assigned an early reservation number.

Recommended Videos

“As soon as I heard about Model 3 I decided to try and be one of the first worldwide to camp out. I thought if Tesla could work that hard to achieve what everyone said was impossible, I should at least do my part to try and get people’s attention,” explained Ian Pavelko, who spent two nights outside of the Tesla store in Montreal, Canada. A first-time Tesla owner, Pavelko told Digital Trends that the wait was well worth it.

Pavelko wasn’t alone. The Denver Post reports that “hundreds and hundreds of people” braved the snow in the Mile-High City to reserve a Model 3. Stores in Florida, California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Oregon, and even Utah experienced similar crowds. Tesla was forced to limit orders to two per person.

Thought it would slow way down today, but Model 3 order count is now at 198k. Recommend ordering soon, as the wait time is growing rapidly.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2016

Tesla’s biggest market has historically been the United States, but the reveal of the Model 3 has helped the California-based automaker expand its presence on the other side of the pond. There were long lines outside of stores in major European cities, too, notably in Germany, in Sweden, and in Switzerland. Many motorists see the Model 3, which is expected to carry a base price of $35,000 before incentives are factored in, as the electric sedan that they’ve been waiting for.

“The Model 3 is the first affordable electric car with a decent range. People are scared of driving a car with a 60-mile range, and most people I met said “when they make a car that has a decent range and is affordable, I’ll buy one.” In my area many orders were placed by current S owners, too,” said Alexander Gabard, who put a deposit down on a Model 3 in Switzerland.

Buyers who reserved the Model 3 are still over a year away from kicking their gasoline habit. The first deliveries are tentatively scheduled for late 2017, but priority will be given to those who already own a Tesla and to motorists who live in California. If you drive a BMW and live in Maine, you might not receive your Model 3 until a few months into 2018.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Which Model Y trim should you buy? Model Y trims compared
which model y trim should you buy trims compared range tablet lhd v2 2

The Tesla Model Y has been the most popular electric car for a few years now, and it makes sense. The Model Y is reasonably priced for an EV while offering a good range and an excellent software experience. It's also larger than the Model 3 sedan -- and plenty of people need that extra room.

But there are a few Model Y trims to choose from, and the trim you should buy depends on a few different factors. So, we thought we’d put together a guide that explains the different Model Y trims, the pros and cons of each, and who should buy which trim.

Read more
The base Tesla Model 3 isn’t bad, but you should probably upgrade
Tesla Model 3 Highland Front

Tesla is expanding the available options for the Model 3. Some time ago, Tesla stopped selling the Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, but the company has rereleased that version of the Model 3 in the form of the new Model 3 Highland design. This expands the number of Model 3 options available to four.

There are plenty of good reasons to buy a Tesla Model 3, but one of them is most certainly the price. The base version of the Model 3 starts at $38,990 before any tax incentives or other discounts. Sure, that’s not cheap, but it does make the Model 3 one of the least expensive high-end EVs out there right now. If you’re interested in the Model 3, however, I don’t think you should buy the base model. I think you should upgrade.

Read more
The Tesla Model Y is at its lowest price yet — but should you buy one?
Tesla Model Y

Despite increased competition in the space, the Tesla Model Y is still one of the best EVs out there. It has access to the best charging network, plus it offers among the best software experiences, as well as a solid range, especially in the longer-range models. And the Model Y is now down to its lowest price yet, meaning that if you were considering getting one, now is probably the time to buy.

The base price of the Tesla Model Y is down to $42,990 at the time of this writing, which represents a pretty huge price cut. That's before any tax incentives too -- and considering the car is eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit, that means you could get it for as low as $35,490.

Read more