Bitcoin For A Tesla Model 3…Yes, That Happened
Toyota is losing a sizable chunk of its drivers to Tesla. Pictured, a Tesla Model 3. | Source: Tesla
Well, it certainly has been a banner week for the folks over at Tesla. So far, the company is reporting that the pre-sales activity on the Model 3 just might account for over $8b in sales. One customer even used Bitcoin to lock their new ride in.
A new post by a user named “Mason” over at Medium goes through the process of how he/she ordered the Model 3. The chain of events was as follows:
I just preordered an automobile that I have never seen or touched, which is propelled by electrons flowing through copper wires, that has a 0–60 of under four seconds and supposedly comes with no instrument cluster.
I preordered this vehicle with an invisible currency that was invented by a pseudo-anonymous computer programmer who calls himself Satoshi Nakamoto and is likely not Japanese.
I made this purchase using a service that dispenses ephemeral credit cards made by some Canadian guy that I met online named Jean. Whom I met after placing a $400 Bitcoin bounty for creating a Bitcoin payable API endpoint that could order and deliver me pizza upon payment.
Using Bitcoin to pre-order a Tesla is quite an interesting statement. Not procedurally, because as we know (and Mason has documented) of course, it can be done. What is fascinating is that now these process gaps that once kept Bitcoin out of the everyday economy are evaporating. According to the account above, it sounds like “Mason” had to spend a little bit of time on this. I think we can all imagine a not too distant future whereas all of these hurdles have disappeared.
One of the leading Silicon Valley companies, Tesla Motors, is now officially a part of the “internet of money.” Is this the first time that someone has used Bitcoin to pay for a Tesla? Maybe , maybe not. But that is not important. What’s important is that in a year that is shaping up to be pivotal for Bitcoin and blockchain, more stories like this are emerging.
In the article, Mason quotes Steve Coast as saying, “The world will only get weirder! ” True, but as Mason implies, don’t forget to enjoy the drive!
Featured image from Tesla.
