Elon Musk’s Tesla Model 3 began customer deliveries in 2017.
Tesla held the first Model 3 delivery event on July 28, 2017, at its Fremont, California, factory. The compact electric sedan was designed as a more affordable vehicle than the Model S and Model X, while retaining Tesla’s battery-electric drivetrain and software-focused approach. Large reservation numbers created intense attention around its production ramp.
The Model 3’s first deliveries did not mean that mass production immediately reached its long-term targets. Tesla faced manufacturing bottlenecks during the initial ramp, especially in battery-module and assembly operations. The Model 3 is also distinct from the Model Y, a later crossover that shares much of its underlying technology. Its launch became a major milestone in the wider adoption of electric cars.