Elon says Model 3 will release first as highly optioned.

[ModelNforNerd]

Leather doesn't come standard in the Model S, why would it in the Model 3?

I'm one of those people who doesn't like leather. Not a vegan or anything, just don't like the feel of it.

I've been informed by my REAL boss that my next car will have to be dog-friendly, aka no leather.....so I guess that one isn't as important anymore.....

But the cold weather package is a necessity.

 

[S'toon]

But the cold weather package is a necessity.

Agreed. That's about it for my "must have" list of options. There are other things that are on my nice to have, but not necessary list. Dual motors comes to mind. I guess I'm one of those lower end buyers that will have to wait in line. Oh well. Gives me more time to save up.

The low C$ has really bitten into my budget for options. Maybe it'll rise by the end of next year.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Agreed. That's about it for my "must have" list of options. There are other things that are on my nice to have, but not necessary list. Dual motors comes to mind. I guess I'm one of those lower end buyers that will have to wait in line. Oh well. Gives me more time to save up.

The wife has a Subie Impreza with CVT...so it's not terrible on gas, and it's definitely dog-friendly...but the in-laws live in VA, and we're in MA....so if we can take the Model 3 out on AutoPilot for a majority of that 9 1/2 hour drive, I'd be ok with that.

 

[sandpiper]

I think the issue here is around offering new features. Established option/features like pano roof, retracting door handles, autopilot, and dual motors are all well estabilished. Some of the new Model X features like panoramic front window or even falcon wing doors may or may not be sufficiently optimized in production to make the cut. What's really hard to anticipate are truly new features which Tesla has yet to reveal. Fully autonomous driving is one such feature that has been well discussed. Along with that come other features that would optimize a car for autonomous fleet service, i.e. the self-driving Uber car. High performance features that put supercar performance within reach of the middle class may also be aways off though some of that technology is well known.

So we'll see how they stage this out. I think priority should go to versions and options that streamline scaling up manufacturing. A very limited options menu may be the way to go.

I don't think we're going to see ANY new or really innovative features on this car. I think it's going to be a relatively sporty looking unit (kinda like a small S) and the innovation is going to be on cost/price. I expect that we will see the next set of innovations being applied on the next generation S.

 

[Snow Drift]

All I need... Dual Motor, glass roof, navigation w/ Sirius, Bluetooth and heated seats. Emergency braking type features would be nice. The autonomous Autopilot features are nice, but not a deal breaker.

 

[LeonardD]

Things like Bluetooth will be standard, while Sirius/XM would likely require a premium audio package. Safety features such as emergency braking will be standard on all Teslas. Tesla is a business, and their purpose is to move the world toward sustainable transportation while making a profit, so that they can continue doing so. Therefore, it makes sense that the first cars they sell will be highly optioned. Consider things like autopilot, and dual motors being options of about $3k each. Add leather seats at $2500 or so, and you have a possible tech package that could add $2500 or more. This ads up to $11k. Lets say they produce only these initially, the average selling price moves from $35k to $46k. Multiply $11k by 10,000. On 10,000 the additional revenue adds up to 110,000,000 with an additional margin or $22,000,000, if the additional margin is 20% of the additional revenue. I can see why they would want to sell the highly optioned cars first.

 

[bigbear]

Things like Bluetooth will be standard, while Sirius/XM would likely require a premium audio package. Safety features such as emergency braking will be standard on all Teslas. Tesla is a business, and their purpose is to move the world toward sustainable transportation while making a profit, so that they can continue doing so. Therefore, it makes sense that the first cars they sell will be highly optioned. Consider things like autopilot, and dual motors being options of about $3k each. Add leather seats at $2500 or so, and you have a possible tech package that could add $2500 or more. This ads up to $11k. Lets say they produce only these initially, the average selling price moves from $35k to $46k. Multiply $11k by 10,000. On 10,000 the additional revenue adds up to 110,000,000 with an additional margin or $22,000,000, if the additional margin is 20% of the additional revenue. I can see why they would want to sell the highly optioned cars first.

leather for $2500, that's crazy man.

 

[gregincal]

leather for $2500, that's crazy man.

It is. That is what it costs for the Model S, though.

 

[bigbear]

It is. That is what it costs for the Model S, though.

$2000 max, hopefully $1500.

 

[Red Sage]

I thought the words used were 'manufacturing priority'. That is no different from Model S P85, P85+, P85D, P90D... Basically, once Production is properly ramped up, there will be a six-to-eight week wait for Performance editions... And an eight-to-twelve week wait for everything else. If it turns out that less than 10% of buyers get the maxed out version of the car, any build priority will be nigh unnoticeable. There was a perceived issue with Model S because a much higher percentage than Tesla Motors/Elon Musk expected chose the 85 kWh versions of the car. They'll probably work hard to start actual Production for Model ≡ at no less than 2,000 units per week, and ramp up within two or three quarters to the 4,000+ units per week range.

 

[aronth5]

Just FYI, it's 200k total US cars sold, including MS and MX. Who knows how many M3 will qualify for the credit, but I'm sure that the credit will last through the first push of "highly optioned cars" to allow some lower optioned cars to get all or some of the remaining tax credits.

Also, that's not how stock prices work.

The tax credit is gradually phased out. Hope this helps

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Plug-I...30-and-IRC-30D)

Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit (IRC 30D) Phase Out
The qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle credit phases out for a manufacturer’s vehicles over the one-year period beginning with the second calendar quarter after the calendar quarter in which at least 200,000 qualifying vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer have been sold for use in the United States (determined on a cumulative basis for sales after December 31, 2009) (“phase-out period”). Qualifying vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer are eligible for 50 percent of the credit if acquired in the first two quarters of the phase-out period and 25 percent of the credit if acquired in the third or fourth quarter of the phase-out period. Vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer are not eligible for a credit if acquired after the phase-out period.

 

[Red Sage]

Here's a handy-dandy chart for those who need to visualize the phaseout progression:

Federal Tax Credits for All-Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles

IRC 30D – Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit Quarterly Sales

 

[eloder]

As I posted above, I'd be kinda bummed out about having to pay extra for a pano roof.

The A3 starts at $29,900 and comes with one.

There are some "luxuries" that should be standard on this car.

Rumors are still that the Model 3 AP will be set up like the MS....that is, all the HW is onboard on every car, you have the option ($2500) of activating it.

An electric drivetrain and appropriate range is one of the most luxurious items you could buy in a car, and it doesn't come standard on an A3

Why do you think people spend $28k+ for a vehicle like a Leaf, even with crippled range? (I'm one of those people).

 

[ModelNforNerd]

An electric drivetrain and appropriate range is one of the most luxurious items you could buy in a car, and it doesn't come standard on an A3

Why do you think people spend $28k+ for a vehicle like a Leaf, even with crippled range? (I'm one of those people).

At the end of the day, it needs to be functional and in my own opinion nice to look at. The Nissan Leaf checks neither box for me

 

[CHGolferJim]

It will be interesting to see how they build the configurator and delivery estimator. Since Tesla plans to prioritize production to higher optioned models, conceivably the estimator would allow a buyer to accelerate production with the addition of a few choice options. So you could decide to spend $60k to get the car in 6 weeks, $50k in 12 weeks, $35k in 6-12 months, as examples, and certainly influenced by initial order volumes and allocations to S and X. If that time period happens to coincide with the phase-out of the tax credit, some might find themselves loading up their configuration for no net cost.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

It will be interesting to see how they build the configurator and delivery estimator. Since Tesla plans to prioritize production to higher optioned models, conceivably the estimator would allow a buyer to accelerate production with the addition of a few choice options. So you could decide to spend $60k to get the car in 6 weeks, $50k in 12 weeks, $35k in 6-12 months, as examples, and certainly influenced by initial order volumes and allocations to S and X. If that time period happens to coincide with the phase-out of the tax credit, some might find themselves loading up their configuration for no net cost.

That would be interesting. I wonder if it would work like the range calculator, where you can change an option, and see your delivery date change in real time. In a way, that would be smart, because it would force people to buy more options to get their car earlier. But it could obviously cause problems in production runs.

 

[Muaddid]

But then you would run into the problem of people paying more to move up in line, only to be pushed back "down" as other people pay more to be ahead of them... doesn't sound that great PR-wise

 

[CHGolferJim]

My guess is they will give out very padded date estimates then try to beat them.

 

[BriansTesla]

I think there will be a fairly large number of very "green" buyers for whom the base M3 cannot be stripped down enough. People who might say "I can roll down the windows by hand" or "How many chickens will fit in the back", and who don't care how fast it is. They just want to save the planet and need more range and cargo capacity than their bike. No disrespect intended.

 

[Twiglett]

I think there will be a fairly large number of very "green" buyers for whom the base M3 cannot be stripped down enough. People who might say "I can roll down the windows by hand" or "How many chickens will fit in the back", and who don't care how fast it is. They just want to save the planet and need more range and cargo capacity than their bike. No disrespect intended.

They may be forgetting that this is the BEV equivalent of the BMW 3-series, not a 1960s pickup truck