Who ordered today???

[green01]

I ordered 5:30 PM PDT Thursday, but don't have any response from the queries I've made on their website. I guess only the Chicago office has time to respond. I know they got my order because my $5,000 deposit check cleared.

I placed a regular order rather than for the Signature series. I probably would have ordered the Signature Series if I could have found some information about it.

Does anyone know how the Signature Series is different? Perhaps it just puts you in line to receive the car before those placing regular orders.

 

[efusco]

One other piece of info I remembered from my conversation with Kevin that I thought some folks might want to know.

Just like the Roadster buyers/owners, we Model S buyers who have made our reservation will get information in the mail that will allow us to get onto the "Owner's Only" Section of the Tesla Web site. From there we'll eventually be able to customize the car, watch progress, etc.

 

[Palpatine]

One other piece of info I remembered from my conversation with Kevin that I thought some folks might want to know.

Just like the Roadster buyers/owners, we Model S buyers who have made our reservation will get information in the mail that will allow us to get onto the "Owner's Only" Section of the Tesla Web site. From there we'll eventually be able to customize the car, watch progress, etc.

It is not that big of a deal. You don't get the ability to customize your car until about 3 months before it goes into production. The owners message board is not very active these days, although it used to be. Perhaps it will come back to life with the influx of Model S owners.

 

[roblab]

that my reservation is in and that I was one of the first 400 who signed up in the initial 24 hours when they started taking reservations.

He also said that official numbers will be out later this week, but they expect that they'll have 1000 reservations in the first week!![/QUOTE]

Wait a minute....

I distinctly remember GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, etc. claiming loudly that "there is no consumer interest in EVs" hence they were pulling them off the market and crushing them.

 

[Palpatine]

Wait a minute....

I distinctly remember GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, etc. claiming loudly that "there is no consumer interest in EVs" hence they were pulling them off the market and crushing them.

If GM said it, it must be true. I bet Tesla is just making up their order numbers. Those are not real. It is a big hoax.

 

[vfx]

I bet Tesla is just making up their order numbers. Those are not real. It is a big hoax.

Sadly many sites have been saying this about everything from Tesla.
Almost justifies the wild exaggerations from Elon. Why not stretch the truth if the truth is not believed anyway?

Haggling always starts with an inflated price to get to the final lower selling point.

He seems to play the calculated odds
this way, "How many people will I piss off and what will be the downside of their reaction VS the positive news that will be spread among those who don't know any better?"

 

[flabby]

If GM said it, it must be true. I bet Tesla is just making up their order numbers. Those are not real. It is a big hoax.

So wait, since I ordered a model S, does that mean that I'm a figment of my imagination? :biggrin:

 

[Iz]

There is a posting elsewhere on this site that indicates 520 orders for model S were placed in one week. These are impressive numbers. I am going to order soon.

 

[iknowdoyou]

There is a posting elsewhere on this site that indicates 520 orders for model S were placed in one week. These are impressive numbers. I am going to order soon.

I dropped by the Los Angeles store today to put in my order, and I mentioned the 500 and change number.

She told me that she doesn't know where that number came from, but the sales folks in Los Angeles don't have any numbers to report. She did say that she knows that there has been quite a few deposits put down, but she didn't have a firm number.

 

[Kevin Harney]

At the April 1st event Elon himself said that they had 520 orders for the Model S as of that afternoon.

 

[iknowdoyou]

At the April 1st event Elon himself said that they had 520 orders for the Model S as of that afternoon.

Ah. Well I doubt that I'm 521, but here's hoping! (don't worry, I know better)

 

[roblab]

Ah. Well I doubt that I'm 521, but here's hoping! (don't worry, I know better)

As far as I have heard, the reservation order is First, Special People, such as Elon, the President of the US, etc. Then, Roadster Owners, who will get to keep their same order as their Roadster reservation, depending on who orders. If none of the first 25 order a Model S, then #26 would be #1after the Special People. The Owner list will be tallied ON June 30, which will stop that list.
Then come "Friends and Family". Their precedence follows the Roadster owners. Finally, the "Unwashed Masses", ie. the rest of the world.
Added to this mess is the fact that there are TWO Model S groups: Signature Series, and the rest of them. Roadster Owners who opt for SigSeries will be in the first 1000 or 2000, (whichever they decide it will be) for the SSeries. Other Roadster owners who only put down $5K will be first in the second, Non Sig Series.
So, If I cough up $40K and have a friend Roadster owner, I can be in the second group ordering SigSeries. If Kevin or Teg only want to put down $5K, I might get my car a year before they do. They would be in the Non Sig Series, 1000 or 2000 cars after startup.
And again, the tally is not done until June 30, so you don't know where you stand until then.

 

[vfx]

If Kevin or Teg only want to put down $5K, I might get my car a year before they do.

Tesla has talked about 20,000 cars a year. That's 1,666 per month...

 

[Cobos]

Tesla has talked about 20,000 cars a year. That's 1,666 per month...

True but if the Roadster procution is any indication that is when production is going at full blast. With the Roadster they used an experienced factory crew to start production with, not so with the Model S.
Another factor is that many think 2011 is bit optimistic for start of production. I would be very suprised if they can produce at about this price more than 10 000 Model S in 2012. It's usually a lot more accepted to change the schedule than price or features...

Cobos

 

[efusco]

Tesla has talked about 20,000 cars a year. That's 1,666 per month...

Maybe when they're at peak, but I just don't think that's a realistic expectation for the first few months. Quality control is going to take some time. This isn't an existing production line that just needs to ramp up for a new vehicle, it'll be a whole new line, building a whole new car, in a whole new factory.

 

[vfx]

Agreed and agreed

But Tesla is talking about a magnitude increase in production. They will have to hire a lot of people who know how to do this.

And robots.

The new Challanger is in startup and has many models available.

The Brampton facility makes the Dodge Challenger and Charger alongside the Chrysler 300C. Modifications to the Body Shop’s under-body system, an enabler of flexibility, give the plant the ability to maintain production of the 2008 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger concurrent with pilot production for the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger. The system carries the under-body components for all vehicles on the same line, eliminating the need for separate conveyor lines for each product.

Forty-two new robots were added in the Body Shop in order to weld the vehicle’s unique body sub-assemblies which will also accommodate future models and product variants at reduced investment levels. A total of 550 robots will now be used in the plant. Paint Shop modifications include new robotic applications for painting the Dodge Challenger’s unique shape.

In a rolling launch, pre-production vehicles are built and tested on the same assembly line where current vehicles are manufactured. They are steadily ramped up while not compromising existing production at the plant. This manufacturing flexibility allows Chrysler to improve the quality, cost and timing of its vehicle launches and allows for adjustments to production volumes of different products in order to react quickly to customer demand.

The key to the flexible manufacturing process is the order in which the body is assembled using a unique under-body system in the body shop. Flexible manufacturing was first used in the launch of the 2001 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan series of minivans in the summer of 2000 at the Windsor Assembly Plant.

I'm flailing here but I just think a year between TEG's car and yours at 1000 cars apart is way too much.

 

[Palpatine]

Tesla has also stated that the Model S will be a top hat type of design. So clearly this factory will be geared for doing multiple different vehicles.

Perhaps a Model M (Mini Van) or some other version. All such vehicles will likely be produced from the same production lines as the Model S.

If Tesla reaches a stable production level of 10,000 annually for the Model S, then perhaps they will introduce a new "top hat" and could quickly start producing electric mini vans for the soccer moms.

I expect that this new Tesla factory will be one of the most advanced, flexible and robotic factories in the world.

There could even be a revenue stream from the tourism angle.

 

[vfx]

There could even be a revenue stream from the tourism angle.

Elon=Gene



!

 

[Tdave]

Then, Roadster Owners, who will get to keep their same order as their Roadster reservation, depending on who orders.

Roadster owners are in the order in which their deposits arrive. The tie breaker for deposits that arrive on the same day is the Roadster production number.

 

[Palpatine]

The "order" is a very flexible number to Tesla Motors.

Tesla has always had a way to jump up in line for those willing to pay. I suspect it will be the same for the Model S.

For the Model S, I think the secret sauce for moving up in line will merely be the Signature Series. By making available 1,000 in the USA and 1,000 in Europe that provides plenty of opportunity for wealthy people to put down a $40,000 deposit. Thus the people with plenty of money market cash can legitimately jump ahead of the doctors, lawyers and other moderately well off masses waiting on their standard Model S.

I think a lot of working people (doctors, lawyers, etc) will be able to afford the Model S because it is at a price point and volume where financing will be easy.
But there are not many people who can put down a $40,000 deposit and not miss it for 2 or 3 years.

I think the bulk of the current 500+ orders are $5,000 deposits. I bet there are fewer than 100 orders for the Signature Series. It might be 2010 or 2011 before the Signature Series is sold out.

In fact, they might not even sell out the Signature Series. It would not surprise me. Until we know what is so special about the Signature Series, and the cost, I don't think they will be overwhelmed with orders for it.