How long should I expect to wait for my car to arrive in the UK?
The average wait time is 63 days total travel time to the UK, the quickest we’ve seen is in 54 days. You will, of course, need to add the wait for production to start + the actual production time to this estimate as well for your final order to delivery date.
1. Car gets built at Fremont California Factory [notification on MyTesla once it starts]
Car is tested and then dismantled into 3 large sections, there are 3 Tesla’s in 1 container. The Model S are shipped 4 cars per container and there is a metal frame that holds 2 of the cars at around 40 degrees.
2. Tesla dismantles the car into 3 major pieces and stores the main parts in a similar method to this video
3. Then it goes by train to Houston (roughly 14 days)
There is no schedule for freight trains in the USA so this can vary dramatically.
4. Container ship to Rotterdam (roughly 20 days)
Ships are often delayed by weather and tides
- Follow your ‘MyTesla’ and when it says ‘Your Tesla has been loaded onto a vessel and is en route to Europe’ check on any AIS Marine Traffic websites e.g. http://www.marinetraffic.com/ for vessels leaving Houston that are going to Rotterdam. Most likely your car is on that ship.
- An old method (useful just in case Tesla charge back to the old shipping method or you cannot find your car above) Tesla use Wallenius Wilhelmsen for boat freight. If you go to their tracker here: WWL You can enter your VIN as the “Cargo ID” and track the boat freight (it it’s been started). You can also enter a partial VIN, so for example “5YJS” will give you all Teslas they’ve ever transported. I’m not sure if all Teslas are carried by WW, though, so perhaps some will not show up. Further tracking can be done on http://www.marinetraffic.com/
5. Road to Tilburg.
Basically, it’s a cargo container vehicle transporter. Nothing very exciting sadly.
6. Reassembled and tested in Tilburg [notification on MyTesla] (roughly 4 hours but there is a queue as this location assembles all cars for Europe)
7. Car transporter to UK [Contacted just prior by Tesla]
8. Car checked, cleaned and licence plate etc fitted at service centre
9. Ready for handover
If my car was built 7th August 2017 what are the rough dates I should expect?
Remember this is very rough and just an example, things could change at any point.
