Tesla Likely To Begin Model 3 Production With Blocks Of Set Configurations, Custom Orders To Follow Later (Rumor)

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

Tesla will begin Model 3 production with batches/blocks of identical build configurations pre-planned, with custom orders only following at a later date, according to an unnamed “source who has been quite reliable so far” quoted on the Tesla Model 3 Owners Club forum (h/t InsideEVs).

Considering that Tesla has in recent days been securing leasing contracts for huge warehouse storage spaces, the news isn’t too surprising — especially when you consider how much easier it likely is to get production running smoothly when all of the units begins produced are identical (other than with regard to paint jobs).

We were already informed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk that those who wanted all-wheel-drive (AWD) variants would have to wait until next year, as the company is seemingly prioritizing the delivery of “cheap” vehicle configurations. (A good plan, in my opinion.)

The unnamed source mentioned above stated: “What I was told is that Tesla will be moving to more of an inventory sales approach with Model 3. This process has already started with Model S where Tesla is getting more and more incentivized for the owner advisors each quarter to hit their goals and to push more inventory cars that are prebuilt by Tesla.”

Given the reservation numbers for the Model 3, and the company’s expectations for future numbers, the inventory approach seems to have a lot of merit — many people aren’t all that particular about the options they purchase (with a few exceptions — AWD, cold-weather package, etc.) — especially as model prices approach the lower end of the market.

So, to reiterate the points made above: the rumor is that Tesla will be manufacturing batches of basic configuration option groups of the Model 3 to start things off, before then moving on to highly specific custom jobs as the reservation backlog is worked through.

Related: Tesla Model 3 Test Track Video (#CleanTechnica Exclusive From Unveiling Night, Abridged)


Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.

Latest CleanTechnica TV Video


Advertisement
 
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.

James Ayre

James Ayre's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy.

James Ayre has 4830 posts and counting. See all posts by James Ayre