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Oh, Vmax, you are really spreading the good rumours today 
I hope it's true, how stealthy that would be!
I am a bit surprised, though, if these cars are for Signature owners, wouldn't they already have gotten some kind of delivery date, or a least a more precise time frame? And it's barely May now, could these be demonstration vehicles, or has Tesla estimated ~2 months time to get it certified? THAT, on the other hand, wouldn't surprise me.
Would some Signature owner(s) please try the Tesla Motors app? You might need to get yourself an iTunes account in some country where deliveries have already started. Log in with the same credentials as you log in to teslamotors.com
If the car is underway, you might even be able to track its location - or honk the horn
I hope it's true, how stealthy that would be!
I am a bit surprised, though, if these cars are for Signature owners, wouldn't they already have gotten some kind of delivery date, or a least a more precise time frame? And it's barely May now, could these be demonstration vehicles, or has Tesla estimated ~2 months time to get it certified? THAT, on the other hand, wouldn't surprise me.
Would some Signature owner(s) please try the Tesla Motors app? You might need to get yourself an iTunes account in some country where deliveries have already started. Log in with the same credentials as you log in to teslamotors.com
If the car is underway, you might even be able to track its location - or honk the horn
waidy
Member
There are currently ~50 MS owners have per-delivery of their 40A Wall Connectors, in which they have either installed or in the process of installing their wall connectors. Tesla has already sent their "charging team" to Hong Kong to test these ~50 locations, by parking a MS and charge overnight at these ~50 households. My "speculations" is that these 10-20 MSs are either for demo or for testing.
NoMorePetrol
Member
Things seem at a standstill, seen from this end, yet I am certain a lot is going on at the other end.
And I believe things will move quickly, very soon. Personally, I believe that if you order now, you should see delivery in the fall, possibly early winter. I don't know their delivery process, it might be so that as soon as the market is open, the cars will come quite quickly. Yet issues with superchargers, home chargers as well as public chargers, should be monitored closely by Tesla. If there isn't enough charging capacity for Tesla model S cars in Hong Kong, then there isn't much idea in floating the market with hundreds more cars. You gotta crawl before you can walk, and rushing things will only make Tesla look bad in the media. Apple daily and SCMP already have the templates for a smearing campaign in place, they just need to add photos, names and dates to publish.
Whether these "10-20 cars" are for demo or testing, we will suddenly have mostly forgotten about the waiting time. Personally, I think it would be a nice gesture of Tesla to release a bit more information, while we are waiting, yet I realise they need to be careful what they "promise" - just see what happened in China! Apple seem to have this strategy of giving delivery dates on sales and repairs, which are beyond what they actually expect. I have always gotten my products earlier than expected, and every time I am equally positively surprised. Other brands, within various industries, have the opposite approach, give an optimistic delivery date to keep the customer happy (for now), then later on come up with a series of excuses - as required - when the delivery date has to be deferred.
I think Tesla is using a strategy similar to Apple - better to give an estimate further into the future, or none at all, rather than a date which might not be possible. The introduction of the Tesla model S to Hong Kong has already been delayed. I think it was initially "late 2013/early 2014" as we were mainly speculating whether or not we could get the cars before the April 1st 2014 FRT waiver expiry. Now we all know it was extended by three years, so it doesn't matter, but look back here in the forums on the older threads - we were talking about FRT extension at the same time as delivery dates. Over a period of over 2 years, the introduction of Tesla model S into the Hong Kong market seem to be delayed about 6 months. Elon Musk doesn't compromise with quality and safety, and he knows this is the make or break chance. It just has to be perfect, so nothing is left to chance. I'd rather get my car six months later than expected, instead of a series of initially inferior and problematic cars hitting the market, killing Tesla totally (think Windows and all the service packs to make it work). Good things are worth waiting for, and while I placed my deposit in December 2012, I am happy to wait just a little longer (too bad about the 2 rear facing child seats, though).
Going back to the Apple comparison, I have been visiting several Tesla Motor showrooms (in the USA), and have taken two demo drives. I have talked extensively with the sales reps, so far with a huge patience with my questions - it is clear that they all have a solid passion for what they do. At my latest visit which was at the Dadeland, Miami store, one sales rep gave me a ride back towards my hotel. I asked him how the recruiting was, and the turnaround of employees, and he said hardly anyone is leaving the company. They are shuffling around, promoting and so on, as new stores open, and part time employees are knighted to full time as required. And while visiting these stores, on several occasions I was informed that cars on display were actually sold. The black MS in the pictures I posted here Visit to Tesla Dadeland store and test drive was sold already, and due to be delivered the day after I was in the store.
I think in Hong Kong, they would do the same for sure, rig up popular configurations for display cars, then sell them to walk-in customers who are happy with the specs and just want a car right away. It would make a lot of sense in Hong Kong, as a lot of more well off customers have little patience, and would go next door to get a beemer or benz if they have to wait too long.
Tesla Motors would be wise in not promising a delivery date which they cannot stick to. There are various constraints that are more or less under their control. Who's fault would it be if HK Transport Dept decides to stall the approval process? Tycoons in control of the petrol and car sales might try to pull some strings, let's see what silly restrictions HK transport department can come up with, against the worlds safest production car ever produced.
Customers won't care about the reason for delays, they will blame Tesla for making false promises. So I think they have covered themselves, and Vmax might be right in that there are cars here already, going through the approval process.
Go ahead and order your cars, and as it looks now, should you wish to bail out, I'm sure there is someone else ready to take your slot in the queue.
No, and yes.
I am R#1, so should be first production, but I didn't go for a signature. I seriously considered a switch to signature (a few weeks ago), primarily for the signature red color, but also because the signature surcharge here is $0 (just add up costs of all the options and that is the price). But, in the end, the signature spec came with about HK$70k of options I really didn't want, so it wasn't worth it to me. I am expecting my car after signatures, before general production. No confirmed date yet.
Yes, I have a wall connector (more on that in the HK charging thread here), as part of the program Waidy alluded to. Installing any day now.
I have now been informed by Tesla (upon my email enquiry) that the current estimate for me - as one of the first non-sig/non-family/friends deliveries - is mid August.
We'll see how it goes, I am sure there are many obstacles, technical as well as legal, which Tesla has to clear first.
We'll see how it goes, I am sure there are many obstacles, technical as well as legal, which Tesla has to clear first.
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