Tesla Extends Model 3 Delivery Dates After Surge In Orders

The last few months have seen an increase in Tesla Model 3s on the road as more of the earliest buyers have received their car. This surge in visibility means that when the carmaker finally launched the long-awaited $35,000 base model just over a week ago, interest in the vehicle was at its highest. As you'd expect, this popularity has resulted in a huge number of orders, forcing Tesla to extend its delivery timelines.

In the US, Tesla has pushed back the delivery window for the base Model 3 by a full month. When orders were first made available, buyers could expect their car within 2 to 4 weeks, but now that timeframe stands at 6 to 8 weeks.

Fortunately, the delay doesn't have anything to do with manufacturing bottlenecks, something that's plagued Tesla in the past. A spokesperson for the company stated that they "occasionally adjust delivery estimates based on order volume," confirming that this is a case of supply being outnumbered by demand.

Drivers considering the $37,000 Standard Range Plus version of the Model 3 should note that deliveries have also been extended, but only by an additional 2 weeks. On the other hand, it also means that Model 3 buyers eager to get their car could pony up an extra $2,000 in order receive it a bit earlier.

Tesla hasn't revealed any details about how many orders have been placed for the new Standard Model 3, so it's hard to measure how much demand this equates to. CEO Elon Musk recently stated that they weren't expecting to reach peak Model 3 production until the middle of 2019, so while the next few months might see long wait times for deliveries, the backlog won't last forever.