Giving Uber & Lyft Rides In My Model 3 (Reactions)

[AlanSqB]

In 2014 I was going to Uber with my LEAF just to give folks more exposure to EVs. I went all the way through the process of getting my required DOT physical but couldn't find any participating shops that would inspect the car. The Firestone shop in my city that Uber recommended wouldn't touch the car because they said "if we take the wheels off to inspect the brakes, it will mess up the car." They literally told me they were not allowed to remove or change wheels/tires on electric cars at their shop. By the time I finally found a shop an hour away that would do the inspection, I got busy with a project and never came back to it.

Things have come a long way since then. Great video.

 

[TT97]

I've never read the TOS for the supercharger, but I can understand that from their perspective.

I could not find anything about them being able to retain any rights...could it have been a hit piece type article? This is the first I've ever seen anything like that and it is so against a fair use of personal property. Not like a lease or licensing fee type situation, but one where I put down my money and buy it, complete with title (credit union lien aside).

If you (or anyone else) can find this I'd be VERY interested.

I believe what @comanchepilot saw actually has to do with Full Self Driving (but you don't need to worry about it until we get to Level 5):

From Autopilot (Full Self-Driving Capability)

Please note also that using a self-driving Tesla for car sharing and ride hailing for friends and family is fine, but doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network, details of which will be released next year.
​

(Of course, it had the same "details of which will be released next year" language last year as well.)

 

[ZoomDoggie]

Ah, if that was it, I do see a distinction. Perhaps a liability thing for them in the infancy of the technology. And, it's not the car that's limited, only if you are using a the FSD which doesn't exist yet so they can't really make a concrete comment on. Thanks for the update/info!

 

[TT97]

Ah, if that was it, I do see a distinction. Perhaps a liability thing for them in the infancy of the technology. And, it's not the car that's limited, only if you are using a the FSD which doesn't exist yet so they can't really make a concrete comment on. Thanks for the update/info!

I'm thinking it's more of a money making thing than a liability thing. The "Tesla Network" would compete against Uber & Lyft and Tesla would take a cut of the fares.

 

[Kermee]

Congrats!

Tesla on Twitter

 

[mhan00]

That was fun to watch...maybe I should take up being an Uber/Lyft driver in my spare time, it would be a great excuse to drive. Once my car actually gets delivered that is!

I drove for Uber for a few months when my 2013 Leaf’s Lease was ending and I still had thousands of miles left. It was fun to chat with people about various subjects and about driving electric, but not really worth doing for money. Also, while most people were either great to chat with or innocuous in that they just stayed quiet and let me drive, the occasional asshole who treated my car or me like *sugar* was enough to sour me on the whole thing. The assholes were really rare (probably less than 1 in 10 people), but they were enough to ruin the experience. If the 3 qualifies for the higher grade Uber/Lyft service it might be more worth it, but as is I’d be way too nervous to let random people into my white interior car.

 

[LyftupX]

I am close to pulling the trigger and using U/L to pay for the car and then some.

I’ve been driving a few years, on X only I average $1.21 for every mile I drive, even unpaid.
There is no confirmation that Uber will put this car on Select. Lyft will put it on Lux I would treat those as a bonus. Everyone seems to say they drive way more and perhaps I use it as a motivating factor to get out and have fun in it.

Maybe even do a YouTube documentation on how the car holds up and my earnings tracking to ultimately pay off the car within 3 years..... maybe document how I send in $1k+ of earnings into the payment.

I am in a major market where I can drive down the street and I’m in a very busy part of town.

 

[FlyinDelorean]

@ZoomDoggie I'm trying to remember where I saw it - maybe it was in a day of sale document. I looked at our paperwork and did not see it - I know I saw it somewhere. Tesla reserved the rights to commercial use of your vehicle for its program . . . .

But - there is a ban on using Supercharging for commercial purposes. Period. There is no exception for supercharging you pay for.. . that is in the Supercharging Fair Use policy. Even if you pay for the power yourself, you're still using a spot on what they consider a regular basis for commercial purposes . . .

Yes, well, I think this is within "REASON". I mean, if you're supercharging the car 20 times a day, and using your car to haul people interstate, this is ridiculous. No one could accept that this is the case. However, Elon recently (well maybe not too recently), tweeted a cab driver who had driven his Tesla S 400K miles with minimal battery degradation over the span of a few years. What if you are at work, and requested to go some place in your personal car, and have NO CHOICE but to supercharge. I don't think Tesla would kill you for that. So I think it really depends on how much energy you are sucking dry. I did Uber and Lyft a few times when I first got the car out of the sheer joy of driving, but I wouldn't do it again. The liability is not worth it, the wear and tear to the suspension and the tires - the same reasons anyone in a luxury car wouldn't want to drive for a ride share company. And its kind of like if I called Uber and it said "Mr. Jones in his ROLLS ROYCE is arriving at your destination". Most people will care, but not all. The amount they pay drivers is crap-tastic. You are better off getting an entry level office job and saving your car for a non-rainy day. Although there was some entertainment in becoming a part-time cab driver for the hell of it, its just not worth it to me. All the concerns you mentioned could very well be valid. Mindfully, this is when I first got the car. I don't foresee myself enjoying doing it again. Loading up the miles, stressing the battery, putting undue stress on the suspension, killing the tires, all to get someone who SOMETIMES knows what car they're in... gets to usually go a few blocks down the street. If they're not wasted and don't puke, high, stoned, or otherwise a sociopath. Most people serious about doing it get their taxi, limo, cab license and go work for a premium service with good clientele and good rates. Maybe then... but no... not with these bloodsuckers. LOL

 

[Cupidchild]

Does Model 3 qualify for Uber Select or Black. (if color is Black/Grey/Silver) and Lyft LUX ?

 

[brianman]

Funny that this was in Kentucky.

Just got back from a vacation in Kentucky where we Turo'd a 3. Saw ~8 Tesla (not including @ superchargers) while we were there. About half of them were 3s.