Tesla Model 3: How to pre-order the electric car in Australia

When Tesla Motors’ anticipated Model 3 electric car goes for pre-order on March 31, Australia will be the first to line up. The Model 3 production is slated to start in late 2017.

As Mashable pointed out, international dateline gives Australians the advantage of being the first in the world to pre-order the vehicle. The pre-order will open worldwide March 31, but since Australia is technically hours, if not a day, ahead of other regions, it will be able reserve the all-electric car earlier than others.

There are two ways to reserve Model 3. The first is to visit local Tesla stores on March 31, and the second is to reserve online at Tesla.com at 8:30 p.m. PT (2:30 p.m. AEDT). Reservation price in Australia is $1,500, which is fully refundable.

Lining up at Tesla stores doesn’t guarantee a reservation, however. Tesla is perhaps anticipating a barrage of customers who would want to get their hands on the upcoming model, specs of which haven’t even been released yet. To remedy this, the American automotive company is giving its existing customers priority.

“In order to be as fair as possible, there will be a different queue for each region. And as a thank you to our current owners, existing customers will get priority in each region, meaning that the fastest way to buy a Model 3 is to buy a Model S or Model X,” a statement on its website reads.

Not much is known about Model 3, though founder Elon Musk tweeted last year that it would cost lower than the company’s first models. Price, according to Musk in 2015, is US$35,000 (approximately AU$46,000). For the record, Model S is around $138,000.

Franz von Holzhausen, designer of the successful Tesla Model S, described Model 3 (via Automobilemag.com) as “an Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Jetta type of vehicle that will offer everything: range, affordability and performance.” He added that the upcoming electric vehicle will be geared toward the “average customer.”