News and Views

On March 31, 2016 I paid a deposit with Tesla to reserve a Model 3. This didn’t constitute an “order”, it just put me in line so that if and when they started producing the car I would be in the queue to order one.

Early this morning (early here in Taiwan, but mid-day in the US) I got an email from Tesla, inviting me to configure and order my Model 3. At 4 in the morning I got out of bed and placed the order on my phone, and then tried to get back to sleep!

Here’s what I ordered:
– Long range battery (EPA rated at 310 miles on a full charge)
– Premium Upgrade Package (Heated front and rear seats, premium sound, premium materials throughout, glass roof, basically a bunch of nice stuff)
– Autopilot (Tesla’s package of adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, lane switching, auto parking…)
– Metallic Silver paint. I know; boring. I agonized over the color, thinking that the red looks really nice, but in the end practicality won out. It should be cooler in the summer, and much easier to keep (apparently) clean. It is the least popular color that is being ordered (as I learned in the Tesla Model 3 forum that I haunt), which indicates that people don’t think it is as pretty, but also means that I will be more unique.

– I did not get the Fully Self Driving package. This actually isn’t implemented yet, but Tesla says that all the hardware is present and once the software is finished it will be downloaded to your car if you have purchased it. If you don’t pre-pay, it will cost an extra $1000 to add it later ($4000 instead of $3000 now). I think the technical and legal challenges are big enough that it may be a long time before this is implemented, and I will take the chance that my $3000 will grow enough while invested to make up most of the difference.

Note that the long range battery and the premium upgrade package are required at this point. Tesla isn’t making any cars without these “options” until later in the year. I would have bought them anyway, but those who don’t want these have to defer until they are available.

Tesla says it will take between 3 and 6 weeks to deliver. If they meet this, it should be here in time to drive to southern California in early June for my niece’s wedding. That should be fun!