Buying or selling a Powerwall 2? A warning...

[HankLloydRight]

NOTE! This thread was originally created in Jan, 2018 and much has changed with respect to selling or buying or "gifting" a PW2 award, and it continues to change. Original thread is below.

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I see a lot of people posting their referral award PW2s for sale.

I just want to post a warning to any of these buyers and sellers that Tesla Energy has a clear policy that these awards are NOT transferrable. Now way, no how. I've posted a lot about this in the Referral thread, but I'll summarize here.

I worked directly (for two months) with the Tesla Energy (TE) group responsible for getting these PW2 awards out and installed. I had already "sold" three of them to other TMC members (I had taken only a $1000 deposit for each). TE tried several different avenues to allow me to "transfer" these awards to these other people, and the bottom line is -- the PW2 awards can only be awarded and installed in the home that the referral award winner owns. No exceptions. This was run all the way up both Tesla legal and finance departments, and the answer was "no". (leave it to the lawyers to spoil all the fun.).

They do realize that many people do not have a house that can support a PW2 install, or are renting, and for these people (or at least for me), they have offered a $5500 "Tesla credit" for each PW2 that can be used for other products (cars, solar roof, etc).

This quote helps to explain why:

They informed me that the Powerwall will not be manufactured until the contract has been signed. This usually occurs after the onsite survey, design, permitting, and utility interconnect processes have been completed. The representative stated that it may take 6 months to get it installed.

Since there are several contracts, parties, and agreements involved here, as well as tax issues (they are issuing 1099s for the PW2 awards), they can't just transfer those to someone else's house who is not the award winner. And even if they could, the award winner is going to have a 1099 for the award amount and the lawyers/finance people don't like that if someone else is getting the actual award (they shouldn't care, but they do).

And it says it very clearly in the referral contest rules "awards are not transferrable". Also, as you can see, the PW2 awards aren't just drop-shipped. They are part of the install process with many prerequisites.

Yes, the email survey you received asks for name, address, etc of where you want the award "sent", but that's just a disconnect between the referral team, and the Tesla Energy team responsible for the installation. What they really want is *your* name, address, phone number. The rubber actually hits the road when the TE group gets to your name and calls you up to schedule a site survey to begin the installation process. They will not call whoever you put down on the survey form.

Now, I know many of you don't or won't believe me, and that's OK. Or maybe you're saying "Tesla doesn't know who they're dealing with -- I'll get them to do what I want!" which I say -- good, go for it and let us know how it turns out so others can get them transferred.

Or maybe you're thinking "they can't do that -- they can't tell me what I can or can't do with the awards I've rightfully earned" -- to which I'll say, yeah, I think they can. It's right there in the rules.

Anyway, don't take it from me, some random guy on the internet with a sample size of one. I'm just sharing my experience that other people have also run into when trying to transfer the PW2 awards. Of course, YMMV.

And if you do decide to buy a PW2 award from someone, I'd suggest to all buyers: (1) only sending a deposit until the PW2 is installed, or use a trusted escrow service, (2) having some sort of short agreement saying the deposit is fully refundable, and (3) know and trust who you are dealing with.

The PW2 awards aren't like the Arachnids or other prizes that are just delivered to whoever. Tesla is taking these awards and rules very seriously. And yes, I had to refund all three deposits I had taken in and I'll likely apply my "Tesla Credits" to an AWD Model 3 next year.

 

[RoninAMG]

Thanks for heads up on this. And yeah, Tesla always seems to have the upper hand on many aspects for whatever they do. It’s their program. Good luck out there.

 

[ev-now]

Hank, Thanks for taking the time to detail this all out - for no personal gain whatsoever. $5500 credit sounds like a pretty generous alternate award to me.

 

[mongo]

I had already "sold" three of them to other TMC members

So, you could have them install the first one.
Then you remove it.
They install the second one where the first one was.
Then you remove it
They install the third one where the second one was.
Then you remove it.
And sell three lightly used PWs, or skip all that and have 16,500 toward other things (that's like 1/3 of a 3LR!)....

 

[astrothad]

So, you could have them install the first one.
Then you remove it.
They install the second one where the first one was.
Then you remove it
They install the third one where the second one was.
Then you remove it.
And sell three lightly used PWs, or skip all that and have 16,500 toward other things (that's like 1/3 of a 3LR!)....

Part of the commissioning process is establishing communication with the Tesla mothership. I guess you can try it, but I'm pretty sure this sort of activity would trigger attention.

 

[arcus]

Hank, Thanks for taking the time to detail this all out - for no personal gain whatsoever. $5500 credit sounds like a pretty generous alternate award to me.

Agree. Thanks Hank.

 

[Got-EMF]

Great info.
Now, if I bring my 42 foot fifth wheel trailer to you and temporarily sell it to you, can we get the powerwall installed in it?

 

[mongo]

Part of the commissioning process is establishing communication with the Tesla mothership. I guess you can try it, but I'm pretty sure this sort of activity would trigger attention.

I hope they would catch on by the third install.
That said, I have no idea if there are any resale clauses. Plus the whole utility agreement thing. Might be useful for an off grid setup though...

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Wouldn't it be more efficient to have them all installed at once? Then I'd think you could do whatever you wanted to with them.

 

[mongo]

I need to work on my emoji usage...
(If i were serious, installing them one at a time reduces their wasted labor installing and the tear up to the house)

 

[MP3Mike]

Wouldn't it be more efficient to have them all installed at once? Then I'd think you could do whatever you wanted to with them.

But you would only get one energy gateway, so you would have to sell all of them to one person, or maybe sell them as add-ons to existing systems.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

But you would only get one energy gateway, so you would have to sell all of them to one person, or maybe sell them as add-ons to existing systems.

Good point. I think we're just going to install a few of ours and take the credit for the others.

 

[K-MTG]

I was so close to a powerwall...but I got 3 cancels so ultimately ended up with 1 referral. I wonder if the $5,500 for powerwall cash option can be used towards EAP.

 

[HankLloydRight]

. I wonder if the $5,500 for powerwall cash option can be used towards EAP.

I'd guess, probably, yes.

 

[JPUConn]

How does one request the $5,500 credit? Was it just and email to the referral address or if there is another contact you can private message id appreciate it.

Funny thing - I got my 5th referral email today for another solar roof early access token (also got it for the 2nd referral as that was delivered before they changed the prizes). Amazing they go from valuable wheels at 3 to valuable powerwall at 4 to a valueless early access token for th 5th.

 

[HankLloydRight]

How does one request the $5,500 credit? Was it just and email to the referral address or if there is another contact you can private message id appreciate it.

You have to wait until the Tesla Energy team calls you to set up the install. Then you can inquire about the credit if you can't (or choose to) not have it installed. Or even ask them if you can transfer it to someone else, it's quite possible policies could change over time. Then let us know.

But I don't know of any way to expedite the process. Since the TE (what was Solarcity) is handling this, contacting the Referral team email likely won't lead to anything useful.

 

[brkaus]

You have to wait until the Tesla Energy team calls you to set up the install. Then you can inquire about the credit if you can't (or choose to) not have it installed. Or even ask them if you can transfer it to someone else, it's quite possible policies could change over time. Then let us know.

But I don't know of any way to expedite the process. Since the TE (what was Solarcity) is handling this, contacting the Referral team email likely won't lead to anything useful.

What - policies change?

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Very true statement.

 

[DaveT]

@HankLloydRight thanks for the post and info. Do you know if the Powerwall award includes full installation as well (including permits)?

 

[JPUConn]

You have to wait until the Tesla Energy team calls you to set up the install.

So you already filled out the web form with install location and awaited their call and after that discuss the credit?

Agree the referral email team seems grossly under staffed as it took them over a month to reply/straighten out my arachnid order that they sent to Nevada even though I selected a local New York SC.

 

[HankLloydRight]

@HankLloydRight thanks for the post and info. Do you know if the Powerwall award includes full installation as well (including permits)?

Yes, if you choose to have the PW2s installed, it includes the $700 backup gateway and up to $1000 of installation credit. If your electrical system needs upgrades or additional work needed to install the PW2 beyond $1000, that's on you. They said nothing to me about permits or who pays for them or if that's included in the $1000.

So you already filled out the web form with install location and awaited their call and after that discuss the credit?

Exactly. I filled out those surveys about a year ago, and put in my buyers' information. Tesla did have that info on file when they called me in the fall of last year, but since I was among the first they were calling to set up these award installs, they hand't fully flushed out the policy on if these could be transferred, which took a couple of months to hash out.

Also, I didn't mention above, but for people that won multiple Founders Edition Red PW2s, only the awards from Phase 6 (the first time they offered the red PW2) are the "signed" ones. The PW2s from all subsequent phases are red founders editions, but not signed.