Tesla delivered its first Model 3 vehicles to customers in 2017.
Tesla held a delivery event for the first production Model 3 cars on July 28, 2017. The compact sedan was designed as a more affordable model than the Model S and Model X, helping Tesla pursue a much larger customer base.
The Model 3 launch was important because it required Tesla to expand production dramatically. The company initially experienced manufacturing bottlenecks, especially during the early ramp-up at its Fremont, California factory and battery operations in Nevada.
The Model 3 is sometimes confused with the Model S because both are electric sedans, but they occupy different market positions. Tesla later introduced the Model Y as a related crossover using many Model 3 components and design ideas.