Tesla Model 3 orders drop by 12,200

THE global orders for Tesla's hotly anticipated Model 3 now stand at 373,000, with the Californian start-up technology firm recording 8000 cancellations since order books opened on March 31.

As well as the 8000 cancellations, the electric car-maker says that 4200 reservations were cancelled as the company believed they were duplicate orders, bringing the total reduction to 12,200.

Tesla's numbers were reported as part of a filing for the company to raise a share offering of $US1.4 billion ($A1.9b) to ensure it has enough money to pay for the launch and roll-out of the Model 3 mid-size hatch.

The Californian electric vehicle-maker says in its filing that it reached the significant number of reservations “without any advertising or paid endorsements, with only a few social media posts leading up to the March 31st unveiling and without any advertising”.

Only attendees at the unveiling had been given the opportunity to test drive the new model before the official reveal.

Tesla says it could have recorded even more reservations for the Model 3, but is instead encouraging potential customers to look at its existing range that includes the Model S sedan and Model X SUV.

“If we wanted to, we believe that we could further increase the number of Model 3 reservations with minimal effort, but believe it is better to guide customers to purchase products currently in production,” the company says.

Keen Tesla fans cued up early at stores around the world to put their money down to reserve a Model 3 on March 31. In Australia the deposit was $1500.

Pricing in the United States for the Model 3 starts at $35,000 ($A48,433) but Australian pricing is yet to be confirmed.

While it is still aiming for production and deliveries to kick off in late-2017, Tesla said it is planning to produce 500,000 vehicles – including Model 3, S and X – per year by 2018, two years ahead of when it previously predicted it would achieve that volume.

The filing reveals that as of March 31, 2016, Tesla owned and operated 2018 sales and service locations around the world , 613 Supercharger locations and 2200 destination charging locations, numbers it says it plans to increase.

To the end of March 2016 Tesla has sold 122,000 vehicles globally since 2002.

As Tesla does not report its monthly sales to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, it is not possible to determine Australian sales.

The Model S started trickling into Tesla stores in late-2014. Deliveries of the Model X will commence later this year, while the Model 3 is expected Down Under in 2018.