Tesla’s March 31 unveiling of the Model 3 will be a big day indeed – Christmas for EV fans, a milestone for the auto industry, and a do-or-die moment for the company, as Elon Musk delivers on his promise to bring an electric car to the masses.

Early adopters can reserve a new Model 3 online when the live unveiling ceremony starts at 8:30 pm, or by visiting their local Tesla store on March 31 (Tesla says this “will allow you to get a better spot in the queue”). A $1,000 deposit is required.

Tesla has explained some details of the process in a blog post. Tesla employees and current owners will get priority, and there will be a separate queue for each sales region.

“When production begins, we will begin deliveries in North America starting on the West Coast, moving east,” Tesla explains. “As we continue to ramp production, we will begin deliveries in Europe, [Asia/Pacific] and right-hand-drive markets. It is not possible to ship to all regions simultaneously because regulators in each part of the world have slightly different production requirements.”

When it comes to the big question, Tesla isn’t being too specific. The company says only that “production is scheduled to begin in late 2017.” You probably shouldn’t count on a December Christmas present, but your Model 3 just might arrive by Valentine’s…or St. Patty’s…or Earth Day…

Source: Tesla, CleanTechnica