Tesla Model 3: 325,000 pre-orders made in first week of release

Tesla claimed the Model 3's release was the 'single biggest one-week launch of any product ever'

The lack of a grille gives the Model 3 an eye-catching blank 'face' (Tesla Motors)

Electric car company Tesla Motors has announced it has received 325,000 orders for its upcoming Model 3 in a single week.

Pre-orders opened straight after the car's unveiling, which happened at a glitzy Los Angeles event on 31 March.

The number of orders broke the 100,000 mark just hours after the event, and sailed past 250,000 by 3 April.

Now, after a week, 325,000 reservations have been made, which represents around $14 billion (£9.9 billion) in future sales.

According to Tesla, this enormous figure makes the Model 3's release "the single biggest one-week launch of any product ever."

The amount of interest in the Model 3, Tesla's first truly affordable car, is even more impressive considering each customer had to put down a $1,000 deposit before making their order.

In a statement, Tesla said: "We are all taking a huge step towards a better future by accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation."

The company thanked the people who pre-ordered and their past customers, and said: "We would write more, but we need to get back to increasing our Model 3 production plans!"

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, has said that the company will be able to produce 500,000 Model 3s a year when running at full capacity.

However, it'll take some time to ramp up production to that level, and many people are expecting customers will have to wait until well after the proposed late 2017 launch date to receive their cars.