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Porsche welcomes Taycan buyers with official “certificate of participation” as first production nears
Porsche Taycan reservation holders are starting to receive the first of several welcome packages and promotional material, as the company gears up to deliver its first all-electric car later this year. “Certificates of Participation in the Taycan Deposit Option Program” have been mailed to enthusiastic buyers from across the world who landed spots on the Taycan waiting list with their local dealership.
Porsche has reported a warm reception to the reservation program on the highly-anticipated electric sports car, specifically citing customer reaction as “fantastic”, well before the final version of the production model has been revealed. In an interview with CNET’s Roadshow in December last year, Porsche Cars North America CEO Klaus Zellmer would not provide specific pre-order amounts but hinted at a promising number by saying, “If all the people [who placed reservations] buy this car, then we are sold out for the first year.” A further review of discussions taking place in Taycan forums reveals customer placements in line anywhere from number 20 to over 150 across a sample of dealerships in North America and Europe.
After patiently watching the Taycan’s (formerly Mission E) development over the last year, including high-speed track testing on the famed Nurburgring and the promise of an ultra-fast charging network, Porsche’s sign of appreciation is, as one certificate recipient described it, a “nice little gesture to tide us over.”
In Porsche’s participation package, a logo-and-signature adorned certificate greets recipients under the document’s title along with the words, “In recognition of your support in helping us write the next chapter of Porsche, this certificate is issued to:” followed by the reservation holder’s name. A beveled outline of a Taycan sketch above the vehicle logo is beneath that and above the signature of Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Porsche Cars North America. The black folder securing the certificate has a white print version of the same sketch on the left side and the words “Welcome to an Electric New Era” also printed in white on the right side. According to related comments made in Internet forums dedicated to the Taycan, certain customers in Europe also received silhouetted color photos of the car in the tri-fold and a neon yellow-green charging cord with their participation packages.
Also of interest in the Taycan development world is the background of reservation holders. Zellmer commented on this point as well: “More than half of the people that are signing up for the Taycan have not owned or do not own a Porsche…Typically, if we look at our source of business, people coming from other brands, it’s Audi, BMW, or Mercedes. The number one brand now is Tesla,” he stated. The findings certainly make sense considering Tesla’s reputation as a manufacturer of electric luxury performance vehicles versus Porsche’s longstanding position in the automotive industry as the maker of high-performance vehicles with a similar reputation amongst their peers. Additionally, a comparison of the core metrics of Tesla’s Model S and the Taycan makes them likely to appeal to the same customer base.
“Welcome to an Electric New Era”
Some Taycan buyers-in-waiting have directly expressed this connection. In a statement to Teslarati, Mike, a former Tesla Model 3 reservation holder who traded his place in line for the opportunity to own Porsche’s first electric car, detailed the specifics of his journey from one electric vehicle to the other.
“I was a day one, 9 AM March 31, 2016, Tesla Model 3 reservation holder…So I held a very early Model 3 reservation for over 18 months before falling out of love with the delays, price, and looks,” he explained as a reason for canceling his reservation. Mike’s lifelong support of the German automaker prompted him to join Porsche’s online deposit program for the Taycan as soon as it was made available. “I drove a restored Porsche 914 in high school and have been a huge fan of the brand ever since. Early 2018 I found a nice used Porsche 991 that matched (ok, slightly stretched) the projected Model 3 budget.”
The tri-fold mailer combo received is reminiscent of the “token of appreciation” gifts sent by Tesla to early Model 3 reservation holders containing sketches of the vehicle and a note from CEO Elon Musk.
Mike, who provided Teslarati with the participation certificate images, regularly posts photos related to his automotive hobbies and projects on Instagram. The electric car enthusiast wanted to make it clear that there were no hard feelings in the choice, just a decision made from personal preference. “I’m still a huge fan of Tesla and Elon for the record.”
Porsche originally revealed the Taycan in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Originally called “Mission E”, the name has since been broadened to refer to the global project for the company’s developing line of electric vehicles while the vehicle itself adopted an artificial name devised from a Eurasian word meaning “young wild horse.” Porsche has also teamed up with the BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford, and the Volkswagen Group in a project to develop the IONITY fast-charging network in Europe, and there are further plans to install 500 ultra-fast chargers in the United States.
The letter mailed to Porsche Taycan reservation holders reads as follows:
We’d like to personally thank you for enrolling in the Porsche Taycan Depositor Option Program.
For over 70 thrilling years, Porsche’s mission has been driven by one question: What does the sports car of the future look like? This pursuit of innovation and embrace of the unexpected is what pushes us to bring concepts like the Taycan to fruition, and it wouldn’t be possible without the continuing support of enthusiasts like you.
The Taycan marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for us: the very first all-electric sports car with a Porsche soul. It is the embodiment of a marriage of electricity and emotion that could only be found in a Porsche.
We’ll continue to be in touch in the coming months as we eagerly await the arrival of the Taycan. Additionally, please find enclosed a certificate marking your official status as a participant in this program. We thoroughly appreciate your continued commitment to the future of sports cars.
Sincerely,
Klaus Zellmer
CEO, Porsche Cars North America
Pedro Mota
VP, Marketing, Porsche Cars North America
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.
Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.
The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.
Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:
- Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
- Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
- Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
- Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
- 89 cubic feet of trunk space
- Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
- Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
- Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
- Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
- 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
- 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
- 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
- FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI
Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:
- Door Trim Puddle Lights
- Suede Dashboard Wing
- Exterior and Interior Badging
- Floor Mats
- Sill Plates
The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.
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- Credit: Tesla
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- Credit: Tesla
It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.
Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.
Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.
The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.
The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”
Looking forward to the long weekend pic.twitter.com/URzH6zOUdn
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 1, 2026
Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.
With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.
However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.
Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:
This looks like a Model Y L https://t.co/TpnBwrLmH9
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 2, 2026
This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.
Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.
Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.
Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.
It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.
As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.
The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.
It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.
Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements
While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.
This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.
Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.
The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:
🚨 If you’re a Tesla investor, this is one interview you don’t want to skip. The full video posted below.
Jeff Lutz @thejefflutz and I sat down with Tesla VP of Engineering Lars Moravy, and it was packed with insights!
A few of the biggest takeaways:
• Cybercab is expected to… pic.twitter.com/fhYSr2dCqP
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) July 1, 2026
Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990
Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.
