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Red Sage
The Cybernetic Samurai
I think someone posted that Tesla Motors can build as many as 1,000 vehicles while they are in development.
Those would be assigned special VIN #s that could be specific to pre-production, development vehicles. They would still be street legal, could be registered with Manufacturers license plates, insured and bonded, and operated for a variety of purposes. And here in the US, none of them would count against the 200,000 unit counter for the Federal Tax Credit. I believe they will be used for all sorts of validation testing, but some will certainly go to Tesla Stores for test drives at some point.
Those would be assigned special VIN #s that could be specific to pre-production, development vehicles. They would still be street legal, could be registered with Manufacturers license plates, insured and bonded, and operated for a variety of purposes. And here in the US, none of them would count against the 200,000 unit counter for the Federal Tax Credit. I believe they will be used for all sorts of validation testing, but some will certainly go to Tesla Stores for test drives at some point.
ModelNforNerd
Active Member
Yes, this, please.
Especially being an East Coast non-owner. I'd be almost certain to be invited to a "Meet the Model 3" event before mine even goes on the production line.
With the Model S Beta prototypes they took them out on tour. They were display only and 90% complete. They originally had five and showed three off to the public. Two were for fine tuning the interior, one for giving rides (You are not going to get to drive). Remember this was at a time when they only had a few hundred employees.
SΞXY P100D
$ Trillion Musk
Red Sage
The Cybernetic Samurai
Well, I believe that 'at some point' will be when Tesla Motors is legally allowed to have Tesla Store locations in every State in the US. I'm sure they would prefer to do a wide distribution of demo/loaner cars if they could... Instead of just regional tours of a handful of cars.
It makes a compelling case for seeing some M3's roll off the line in late summer or early fall of next year. If these are the "beta prototypes" the article mentions then next would be the release candidates. If those have to wait for production line expansion anyway it'll be few months at least, before we see those. Then, less than a year later, production would start!!
MissAutobahn
Elon, please ramp up Berlin GF in plaid mode!
WileyTheMan
Peanut Gallery Member
Great news! It's these little nuggets of information that keeps us Reservationists (if that's a word) interested and excited.
Manufactured by Tesla, the finest 300 cars the world has ever known. There's no room for softness, not at Tesla. No place for weakness. Only the hard and strong Tesla Model 3. Only the hard. Only the strong.
Garlan Garner
Banned
SΞXY P100D
$ Trillion Musk
Garlan Garner
Banned
ModelNforNerd
Active Member
I'm just glad they're going to such a (relatively) large scale with this rollout.
This will give Tesla the opportunity to test the Model 3 in a variety of situations and/or climates.
Who knows.....we might even get to see beta prototype mules on the East Coast. (Tesla would be wise to do some real-world testing here in the winter).
ModelNforNerd
Active Member
Which makes me more hopeful that the timeline I've worked up in my own head comes true, or better.
I've been predicting early December for Reveal Part 2.
Will it move depending on when they want these prototypes to start hitting the streets (for example, if they're ready in say....October, do we get the Reveal earlier?)
Interesting development to keep an eye on.
A lot of the detail that we hope to get in the second reveal is probably determined from the testing and prototyping they'll do with these parts. So there is every chance there will working cars well before the second reveal. Since these are essentially made by hand I'd guess it would be at least a month or so before there are working/running cars. They may not even build an entire car right away with these parts, they'll use a lot of them for proof of concept and testing.
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