Extremely high demand has led to wait times for the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y growing to almost a full year, depending on the configuration.
You can shorten that wait time by purchasing an option like a non-standard paint colour, upgraded wheels, or even a tow hitch.
Tesla has now added another way to shorten the wait time by as much as seven months, but this time it is not by changing the physical features or appearance of the car, but by changing the software included with it.
Based on a recent update to the online configurator, Tesla appears to be pushing you to the front of the line if you purchase the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Capability add-on.
The most drastic change is for Model Y orders. Configuring a base Model Y Long Range gives you an estimated delivery date of December 2022.
Add FSD Capability and that drops by seven months to May 2022.
A similar scenario unfolds for the base Model 3 – add FSD capability and your wait time drops three months from August to May 2022.
Interestingly, this change is only applicable for Tesla’s high volume (and high demand) vehicles, as the same options selected on either the Model S or Model X do not result in a shorter wait time.
If you are in Canada, going down this route will add an extra $10,600 (or in the US $12,000) on top of the already rising vehicle prices.
Tesla is set to finally release FSD Beta in Canada, hopefully this weekend. Once it does, we are expecting the price of FSD Capability to increase by about $2,500, following the same pattern as when Tesla expanded the FSD Beta program in the US last year.
