Update: VIN #s aren’t truly representative of when vehicles are produced, so implications of VINs in the #600s getting shipped this week don’t necessarily include hundreds of Xs being delivered in the coming week or so. But we’ll find out more details soon enough.
Update #2: See this: Tesla Model X Production Kicks Into High Gear (CleanTechnica Exclusive)
Update #3: Tesla Model X Signature Series VIN #1 was indeed delivered yesterday.
The long, long wait is about to be over for the first people who put down $40,000 (years ago) to reserve a Signature Tesla Model X — Tesla’s 100% electric SUV that is quicker than almost every sports car on the road, seats up to 7 people, is approximately twice as efficient as a Toyota Prius, can tow up to 5,000 pounds, and comes with eye-catching and convenient falcon-wing doors.
“Founders Series” Model X deliveries began nearly 3 months ago, but Tesla has been slowly delivering the rest of the small number of Founders Series Model Xs while it carefully checks all of the details of the finished vehicles, watches out for issues it doesn’t want to retain as production ramps up, and also acquires or builds all of the parts for the Signature Model Xs (a few suppliers were having a hard time ramping up, and you just can’t ship an SUV with only 99% of its parts… in most cases).
On Wednesday, someone posted on the Tesla Motors Club forum that, “Two persons with Sig 414 and 508 have their delivery dates 12/28 and 12/21 (pickup at factory) respectively.” It was later in the thread indicated that those were “soft” delivery dates, and were still subject to change. But today at 5:14 am (my time), Signature reservation holder #2, Bonnie Norman, tweeted that her delivery was scheduled for this weekend, meaning that the floodgates are indeed opening!
Model X Sig #2 delivery is ON – factory pickup this weekend! ThX @elonmusk & all #TeslaMotors team. #CantWait #earlyXmas #Xcited
— bonnienorman.bsky.social (@bonnienorman) December 18, 2015
If that’s the case, and there are no last-minute issues with the presumably hundreds of Model Xs that have been tentatively scheduled for delivery in the coming week or so, it seems likely that Tesla will deliver several hundred Model Xs before the end of the year, and perhaps even before Christmas (for many reservation holders who were hoping for just such a present).
That matches well with Elon’s tentative guidance on Tesla’s 3rd quarter conference call that Tesla aimed to be producing hundreds of Model Xs a week by the end of the year.
Also posted this week, Signature Model X VIN #664 was spotted on Wednesday in New York (see pictures below). It still had shipping plastic and stickers on certain spots, and was apparently still being prepped by Tesla staff. Somewhat humorously, the soon-to-be owner of that Model X found out about its arrival in New York via the spy shots. She (“Emily1”) wrote, “I am the (future) owner of the red sig in NY. Was pretty bizarre to learn my car was there from a thread on the forum! I went to the SC today and they let me see the car but not sit in it, as it still has no software and they didn’t want anything to malfunction. It’s great to see that it’s actually here and within reach. They said it still had to go through final inspection and software install which will take around a week and can firm up delivery after that. So fingers crossed they will be able to get it to us by the end of the year.”
Emily added that another Signature Model X (VIN #647) was also at the service center when she stopped by. But I’m sure she was a bit more focused on her beauty….
Signature Tesla Model X reservation holder #1 noted yesterday on the Tesla Motors Club forum that he had the same “soft delivery date” as Bonnie, and that Tesla planned to deliver the two Xs together. Bonnie’s enthusiastic confirmation came several hours after that, and Sig #1 hasn’t chimed in publicly since the tweet, but it seems a given that he will be receiving his X this weekend as well has since announced that his X was delivered.
The floodgates are opening. Beware, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, & others… the X is ready to fly.
Related:
Tesla Model X Unveiling — Live Blogging & Tweeting On
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Tesla Model X P90D Flies Forward After Slow Backup (Video)
Tesla Model X Unveiling Hugely Boosts Tesla Model S Sales
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New Tesla Model X Pictures (1)
New Tesla Model X Pictures (2)