Tesla opens first showroom in Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Tesla has officially opened its first Rockford showroom and is offering free test drives of its fleet of electric vehicles.

The Tesla showroom is located at 1998 McFarland Road, in front of Meijer, between Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Gloss Nailbar and will be open between 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed Sundays.

“This is an exciting milestone for our city, and we’re proud to welcome Tesla to the Rockford community. We believe this new addition will bring positive growth, innovation, and opportunities to our area,” real estate group First Midwest said in a

Facebook post.

Unlike traditional car dealerships, Tesla functions similarly 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.

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.

Late last year, the company announced two future models, the autonomous CyberCab and a prototype “Robovan.”

Recently, Tesla opened its third Supercharger station in Rockford, at the 11th Street Plaza Shopping Center, at 3124 11th Street.