Is a Tesla showroom coming to Rockford?

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors is set to open its first showroom in Rockford.

The storefront is located at 1998 McFarland Road, in front of Meijer, between Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Gloss Nailbar.

No opening date was given.

According to the hours posted on the door, the showroom will be open between 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed Sundays.

Unlike traditional car dealerships, Tesla functions similar to an Apple store: a customer orders a car at the showroom for a flat, non-negotiable fee, and the car is delivered from the factory once it is built.

With its showroom model, in addition to ordering a car, customers can arrange to test drive Tesla automobiles and inspect other models up close.

In 2021 it was reported that the Rockford City Zoning Board of Appeals approved a permit for Tesla to move into the former Gander Mountain store on McFarland, which later became a Goodwill.

Since that time, the company installed a Supercharger station in the parking lot of Woodman’s grocery store, at 3155 McFarland Road. Telsa had a prior Supercharger at the CherryVale Mall, at 7200 Harrison Ave.

The new showroom will not be a Service or Collision Center; the company sends mobile technicians to repair its customers’ products but does operate physical repair centers in the Chicago and Madison areas.

Tesla makes the top-selling electric car in the world, the Model Y SUV, along with the Model 3 sedan, the Model X SUV, the Model S sedan, and the Cybertruck pickup.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced a new model, which forms the basis of a forthcoming “RoboTaxi,” will be revealed in October.

Musk has joked that the alphanumeric model designations for his cars, when arranged together, spell “S3XY,” part of the brand’s quirky appeal.

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