Another Line Forms: Dual-motor and Performance Tesla Model 3s Start Production in July, Musk Says

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Replying to an over-enthusiastic superfan on Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said orders will start this month for the dual-motor and performance variants of the Model 3 sedan. Currently, Tesla’s Fremont, California factory only cranks out the rear-drive, long range model.

Production of the higher-end models begins in July, Musk claimed, but the CEO failed to give reservation holders waiting for a base $35,000 sedan anything new to go on.

“Tesla will enable orders end of next week for dual motor AWD & performance,” Musk tweeted. “Starting production of those in July. Air suspension prob next year.”

The CEO added, “Note, that’s when we *start* making them. Can’t instantly fill all orders. Will take 6+ months to do so.”

A July start date for dual motor production is pretty what Musk suggested after being asked via Twitter last July (by the same guy, no less). In that exchange, Musk estimated “the middle of next year.” Earlier this year, he said “probably July” in response to a similar question.

Tesla wants to hit its 5,000-vehicles-per-week production target for the Model 3 before adding “complexity” to the assembly line, Musk said at the time — a target, already pushed back, that sits at the end of June. It isn’t known if dual motor production will go ahead as planned if the target isn’t reached.

As for the much-touted $35k base model, that one won’t see the assembly line until the end of 2018 (at last report). That’s a pushback from an earlier prediction. While it’s been a long wait for reservation holders, many holding out since 2016, it’ll become even more painful when they see pricier variants added to the Model 3 line first.

It’s expected that adding a second motor will nudge the Model 3’s 310-mile driving range upwards a bit, while the performance model will likely see a range decrease to match its boosted acceleration.

[Images: Tesla]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments
Join the conversation
5 of 33 comments
  • Incautious Incautious on May 14, 2018

    PT Musk I mean Barnum. A sucker born every minute.

    • See 1 previous
    • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on May 14, 2018

      @walleyeman57 There is no comparison; Preston Tucker built 51 cars. Tesla has built 250,000 with a lot more vertical integration.

  • Indi500fan Indi500fan on May 14, 2018

    Is it reasonable to assume the $7500 credits are used up by the time the first base model is delivered?

    • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on May 14, 2018

      I think that's a reasonable assumption. And then we'll see a lot more cancellations, because the subsidy helps the low-end buyer more.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
Next