Tesla Alerts Model 3 Buyers To 'First-Come, First-Served' Immediate Delivery

Production problems and long delivery times have plagued Tesla’s Model 3 electric car, which the company hopes will help it reach profitability sooner rather than later.

Over the weekend, Tesla emailed some customers who had reserved Model 3 cars with a notice that they may be able to get “immediate delivery” on their electric cars, Electrek reported. Some customers got the email over the weekend, but additional customers will reportedly get the invitation on Monday.

“We have a limited number of Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive vehicles on display that are available for immediate delivery,” according to Tesla's email. “As a first day reservation holder, you’re invited to take advantage of this opportunity on a first-come, first-served basis.”

This development came after the company held a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday at its main production plant in Fremont, California. Some customers who had reserved Model 3 cars were invited on short notice to come to the plant and pick up their vehicles earlier than expected. Model 3 delivery can normally take a few months after the car has been ordered.

Tesla was apparently able to make this happen by producing rear-wheel drive versions of the Model 3 with basic, popular features, rather than in custom configurations for each buyer. The company then reportedly matched them to orders from customers in the area, per Electrek.

The move seems to be aimed at getting as many cars to as many customers as possible before the company’s next quarterly earnings report. Tesla has lost investor confidence in recent months for a large variety of reasons, but the company’s struggles to efficiently produce the Model 3 did not help.

Still, Tesla has shown increased confidence in its production process over the summer, after opening a new assembly line outside its Fremont plant. The company opened the Model 3 ordering process to the general public in July, before introducing a newer and faster pickup process for buyers.

Tesla even tested delivering the cars straight to customers’ homes in July, rather than making customers go to a delivery center to pick up their electric cars. Still, questions remain about the overall build quality of the Model 3, as well as the overall health of Tesla, given recent scandals involving CEO Elon Musk.