• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechGlobal 500

Tesla Says New Model 3 Reservations Won’t Arrive for Close to 2 Years

By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 18, 2016, 3:39 PM ET
Fortune/Katie Fehrenbacher

If you plan on making a reservation for one of Tesla’s upcoming $35,000 electric cars, the Model 3, expect to wait almost two years—and maybe longer at this point.

The electric car company run by Elon Musk, which is in the process of acquiring solar company SolarCity, updated its website to say that production of the Model 3 will begin in mid-2017 and that delivery estimates for new Model 3 reservations are now “mid 2018 or later.” Tesla is hoping to ship its very first cars to early customers by the end of 2017.

Earlier this year, Tesla (TSLA) opened up reservations for its Model 3, the company’s first mainstream electric car that can drive 215 miles per battery charge and costs $35,000. Tesla’s other cars commonly cost six figures depending on the model and features.

The demand for those first Model 3 cars has been huge, and almost 400,000 people put down a $1,000 refundable deposit to get in line for one. Some customers even camped out over night in front of stores to get at the beginning of the queue.

But because Tesla has only been making its current cars in smaller volumes, the company needs to build out its production capacity to be able to meet such high demand. Tesla delivered about 50,000 cars in 2015 and plans to deliver about 80,000 in 2016.

But by 2018, Tesla intends to grow its manufacturing capabilities to be able to make 500,000 cars per year. Many of those are supposed to be Tesla’s Model 3. The time that Tesla needs to grow its production capacity and to start shipping cars is the reason for the lag time.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

But everyone expected as much. Fortune noted that as the reservation list starting growing earlier this year, new reservation holders might not get their cars for even three or four years. Pushing the date out also could mean that a customer might miss out on a federal tax credit that expires after Tesla sells 200,000 cars.

Tesla could ship 76,860 Model 3 cars by the end of 2018, according to analysts at Cairn Energy Research Advisors. That includes 12,200 shipped within the year of 2017, and 64,660 shipped within 2018. Tesla could ship 212,646 Model 3 cars (that’s cumulative) by the end of 2019.

For more on Tesla’s 3rd quarter deliveries, watch:

Assuming all of the Model 3 reservations convert into buyers (which they won’t), you’d need to have a reservation number lower than 76,860—the predicted total to be shipped by the end of 2018—to get one before the end of that year. And you’d need to be on the reservation list under 212,646 to get a car in 2019. (Again, not all reservation holders will convert).

After Tesla sells 200,000 cars, it’s set to lose a $7,500 federal tax credit for its customers. So if you fail to get your car in 2018, the Model 3 could be more expensive without the credit.

About the Author
By Katie Fehrenbacher
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

Latest in Tech

Future of WorkColleges and Universities
Top University of Minnesota grads are ‘at least as good, maybe better’ than the best and brightest from Harvard, former Goldman Sachs CEO says
By Jason MaJanuary 10, 2026
23 hours ago
InvestingStock Options
Investor Michael Burry reveals options bet against Oracle
By Carmen Reinicke, Jeran Wittenstein and BloombergJanuary 10, 2026
1 day ago
cappelli
AIHuman resources
AI adoption isn’t an easy way to cut jobs—or easy at all, Wharton professor says: ‘The key thing … is just how much work is involved in doing it’
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 10, 2026
1 day ago
MagazineNetflix
Netflix’s $82.7 billion rags-to-riches story: How the a DVD-by-mail company swallowed Hollywood
By Natalie JarveyJanuary 10, 2026
1 day ago
Bill Gates speaks onstage at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum 2025 at The Plaza Hotel on September 24, 2025 in New York City.
AIBill Gates
Bill Gates says AI could be used as a bioterrorism weapon akin to the COVID pandemic if it falls into the wrong hands
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 9, 2026
2 days ago
shapiro
Big TechMedia
Netflix’s competition isn’t sleep anymore. Its battle against YouTube is like fighting an ‘infinite number of monkeys,’ top strategist says
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 9, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
As U.S. debt soars past $38 trillion, the flood of corporate bonds is a growing threat to the Treasury supply
By Jason MaJanuary 10, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Health
Bill Gates warns the world is going 'backwards' and gives 5-year deadline before we enter a new Dark Age
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump may be raising your taxes with his tariffs but he could actually cut inflation with them, too, SF Fed says
By Jake AngeloJanuary 6, 2026
5 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Gen Z are arriving to college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
By Preston ForeJanuary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
Silicon Valley billionaire flies coach out of solidarity: 'If I'm going to ask my employees to do it, I need to do it, too'
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
By Jacqueline MunisJanuary 10, 2026
1 day ago

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.