At least 13 people in Singapore have placed orders for the Tesla Model 3, contributing to an estimated global order bank of more than 270,000 since Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the new electric car last Friday, reported The Straits Times. 

According to IT Specialist and Tesla owner Joe Nguyen, 13 people among 123 who joined a newly created Tesla Enthusiasts SG group on Facebook have each placed a US$1,000 (S$1,350) deposit to book the car online. Said Mr. Nguyen, "I expect there are many more outside this group."

All who booked a Model 3 - which is estimated to cost under $150,000 here when it arrives in 2018 - have never owned a Tesla, are unsure of how they will recharge their car (very few live in landed properties), and have no assurance at all about after-sales support.

The bookings may not all translate to sales, though, and the deposit is refundable. A Tesla spokesman said, "The reservation holder will get notification from us if he or she would like to proceed with the production. If the customer takes the next step and production is under way, the order is deemed confirmed and there is no refund."