Tesla is bringing the Model 3 to this year’s 2018 Paris Motor Show, giving the country’s reservation holders and enthusiasts the opportunity to see the vehicle in person before its official rollout to the EU region next year.
The 2018 Paris Motor Show is set to be held at the Porte de Versailles from October 4-14. Tesla is set to feature the Model 3 at the event, together with the Model S and Model X, as well as the Powerwall home battery system. Tesla’s official page in the 2018 Paris Motor Show’s website notes that the event would mark the vehicle’s second official appearance in Europe before deliveries for the region begin.
“Model 3 is making its second appearance in Europe before the first deliveries scheduled for the first half of 2019. Tariffs and information on European markets will be communicated later to holders of a Model 3 reservation.”
Back in March, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the right-hand drive versions of the Model 3 would likely be released to the EU region in the summer of 2018. As the company starts hitting its stride with the production of the Model 3, Tesla has started teasing the vehicle to other territories over the past few months.
In August, for example, Tesla opted to bring the Model 3 to Australia and New Zealand, allowing reservation holders living in the countries to get some hands-on experience with the electric car. The Model 3 also became the centerpiece of Tesla’s booth at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the electric sedan attracted a lot of attention from attendees. Just like Tesla’s upcoming appearance at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, the company also showcased the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV at its booth at the Festival of Speed.
Tesla’s Model 3 production has been ongoing for more than a year now, and for the most part, the company has been laser-focused on ramping its manufacturing capabilities before bringing the vehicle to other regions like Europe. So far, Tesla has only started deliveries of the Model 3 in the United States and Canada, but as the company improves its run rates for the vehicle, it would only be a matter of time before the company saturates other regions with the electric sedan as well.
Elon Musk is noted to have presented the first right-hand drive Model S to customers in London roughly two years after Tesla started production of the full-sized premium sedan. While this does not mean that the Model 3 would take as long before it reaches EU shores, the company’s timeline with the Model S does provide insight that prioritization will largely be driven by volume of demand.
Tesla is currently attempting to manufacture a record number of Model 3 this quarter, with Elon Musk noting in a recent letter to employees that the company is poised to produce and deliver around twice as many vehicles as it did last quarter.
