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Tesla has seemingly avoided the effects of the global semiconductor shortage throughout the pandemic, but its impact appears to be ramping up, as Australia delivery wait times for the best-selling Model 3 mid-size sedan have blown out again.
As reported, Model 3 delivery wait times were as short as one to three weeks last October but jumped to two to five weeks and then eight to 12 weeks in November, before settling in at 14 to 20 weeks in December.
Now, delivery wait times for the in-demand Model 3 have risen to five to seven months, covering the unnamed entry-level variant ($59,900 plus on-road costs), the mid-range Long Range ($73,200) and the flagship Performance ($86,629).
This, of course, reflects an industry-wide trend, with delivery wait times having been on the up and up for most brands and their models since the pandemic reared its ugly head in early 2020.
That said, Tesla’s Model 3 troubles didn’t start until late 2021, when the Shanghai factory that supplies the Polestar 2 rival to Australia quietly removed one of the two electronic control units (ECUs) included in the steering racks of some examples, according to CNBC.
The US media outlet said the second ECU was considered redundant – hence it’s removal – but it did have a role to play in the future, when Tesla releases its long-promised Level 3 autonomous driving functionality for the Model 3 via an over-the-air update.
If the next generation of so-called Full Self-Driving does eventuate, it’s unknown if affected Model 3 owners will be able to have an extra ECU installed in the steering rack for free. Either way, the process to go from Level 2 to Level 3 won’t be easy as for them as promised.
Despite the obvious challenges, the Model 3 was still Australia’s most popular all-electric vehicle in 2021, with its 12,094 sales putting it ahead of established internal-combustion engine (ICE) models like Toyota Kluger, Isuzu MU-X and Kia Seltos.
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