Tesla said orders for its new Model 3 sedan topped 253,000 in the first 36 hours, despite the fact that the car will begin to reach customers in more than 18 months. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted the numbers on Saturday, which jumped 28 percent from 198,000 Friday. People pay $1,000 to reserve their vehicle.

The Model 3's range is about double what drivers get from current competitors in its price range, such as the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.

It starts at $35,000 and has a range of 215 miles per charge, which is far more than most people drive each day.

The electric vehicle features a15-inch landscape touchscreen on its cabin, which will be reportedly made by LG Display, according to unconfirmed reports.