One thing leads to another... Researching Model X wheel & tire sets led me to Tesla's Referral Program, apparently a source for much joy and, equally, much ire. I simply wanted to know: What was offered as a reward, and when? For obvious reasons, Tesla is probably loath to now reveal all the goodies it used to give away (as part of a presumably very cost-effective non-advertising advertising campaign). Nonetheless, I was able to find good (partial/dated) lists and piece together the following list.
As always, I'd appreciate knowledgeable input by people who were actually there. (Sources if possible, please.)
Key
21" wheel-set .................... 21-inch Model S performance Black Arachnid wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires (other brands possible?)
22" wheel-set .................... 22-inch Model X performance Obsidian Black Turbine wheels and Pirelli Scorpion tires
"Signature" HPWC ........... Generation 2 High Power Wall Connector with special matte-black face plate and "Elon" (Musk's signature) etched on it
unveiling .............................. one of a number of special Tesla events to commemorate introduction of a major product
_____
* ---My designations (not official).
**-- Some phases offered additional solar-related incentives.
***- I read that a number (80!) of (lucky, hard-working) people managed to refer 10 or more customers, and hence are apparently owed a free Roadster. Clearly, they
-----are still waiting. Allegedly, this has caused some consternation within Tesla. One reason the Roadster has been delayed and the original Referral Program killed?
**** Additional extremely helpful sources include:
Comments:
'Jack Bauer'* drives a Legacy Model X (with 20" Helix wheels)._____
* Actually character 'John Weir' played by actor Kiefer Sutherland (or in this case probably a stand-in) on the TV show thriller "Rabbit Hole."
As always, I'd appreciate knowledgeable input by people who were actually there. (Sources if possible, please.)
History of Selected Tesla Automotive Referral Program Rewards
Key21" wheel-set .................... 21-inch Model S performance Black Arachnid wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires (other brands possible?)
22" wheel-set .................... 22-inch Model X performance Obsidian Black Turbine wheels and Pirelli Scorpion tires
"Signature" HPWC ........... Generation 2 High Power Wall Connector with special matte-black face plate and "Elon" (Musk's signature) etched on it
unveiling .............................. one of a number of special Tesla events to commemorate introduction of a major product
-- Refer to sources for more details about (sometimes confusing) program rules, exclusions, and referral award items. --
Phase | Starting Date | Ending Date | # of Referrals Required | Rewards | Source**** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 8, 2023 | ? | ● greatly increased credits for Models 3/Y sales referrals ● Enhanced Autopilot and FSD removed as referral rewards ● new limit on the number of referrals per year | |||
June 2023 | June 30, 2023 | ● greatly increased credits for Models S/X sales referrals | |||
October/November 2022 | ● "Loot Box" credits via the Tesla Phone App | ||||
September 18, 2021 | | (car) Referral Program Ends | |||
10* | March 21, 2019 | September 17, 2021 | 1 | ● 1,000-5,000 free-Supercharger miles | |
9G* | December 24, 2018 | February 1, 2019 | 1 2 3 - 4 5 | ● photo launched into space ● "signature" HPWC, or---Model S for kids ● 21"/22" wheel-set, or ---1-week Model S/X test ● software update priority ● invitation to an unveiling | |
9F* | September 19, 2018 | December 23, 2018 | 1 2 3 4 5 | ● photo launched into space ● "signature" HPWC, or ---Model S for kids ● 21"/22" wheel-set, or ---1-week Model S/X test ● software update priority ● invitation to an unveiling | |
9E* | August 1, 2018 | September 18, 2018 | 1 or 2 3 4 5 - | ● "Signature" HPWC, or ---Model S for kids ● early access to solar roof ● 21"/22" wheel-set, or ---1-week Model S/X test ● invitation to an unveiling, or ---Founders Series Powerwall | |
9D | May 19, 2018 | July 15, 2018 | 1 or 2 -3 4 5 | ● free Supercharging, ---"Signature" HPWC, or ---Model S for kids ● early access to solar roof ● 21"/22" wheel-set, or ---1-week Model S/X test ● invitation to an unveiling, or ---Founders Series Powerwall | |
9C | February 1, 2018 | April 30, 2018 | 1 or 2 3 4 5 ** | ● "Signature" HPWC, or ---Model S for kids ● 21"/22" wheel-set, or ---1-week Model S/X test ● Founders Series Powerwall ● invitation to an unveiling, or ---early access to solar roof | |
9B | May 18, 2017 | February 1, 2018 | 1 or 2 - 3 - 4 5 - 10+ ** | ● "Signature" HPWC, or ---Model S for kids ● 21"/22" wheel-set, or ---1-week Model S/X test ● Founders Series Powerwall ● invitation to an unveiling, or ---early access to solar roof ● 10% off new Roadster*** --- | |
9A | May 19, 2017 | September 28, 2017 | 1 2 3 4 5 10+ | ● Model S for kids ● early access to solar roof● 21"/22" wheel-set ● Founders series Powerwall ● Semi Truck unveiling ● 10% off new Roadster*** | |
January 15, 2017 | December 31, 2017 | >14 | Annual Overlay Awards Program | ||
8 | March 16, 2017 | June 15, 2017 | 1+ 2+ 3+ 5+ 7+ | ● Nevada Gigafactory tour ● Tesla rolling carry-on● Model S for kids ● Founders Series Powerwall ● Model 3 event | |
7 | January 16, 2017 | March 15, 2017 | 2+ 3+_ 5+ 7+ | ● Tesla carry-on ● Model S for kids ● Founder Series Powerwall ● Model S delivery event | |
6 | October 16, 2016 | January 15, 2017 | 2+ 3+ 5+ 5+ 10 | ● Tesla carry-on ● Tesla owner's jacket ● VIP tour of Fremont factory ● Founder Series Powerwall ● invitation to an unveiling | |
5 | July 18, 2016 | October 15, 2016 | 2 3 5 10 | ● Tesla leather Moab Weekender duffel bag ● Tesla owner's jacket ● 21"/22" wheel-set ● solar roof unveiling | |
4 | May 30, 2016 | July 15, 2016 | 2+ 3+ 4+ 5 | ● Tesla leather Moab Weekender duffel bag ● Tesla owner's jacket ● Nevada Gigafactory tour ● 21"/22" wheel-set | |
3 | February 16, 2016 | April 15, 2016 | 5 random referrers | ● tour of SpaceX | |
2 | November 1, 2015 | December 31, 2015 | 5 19 first 10/region | ● Nevada Gigafactory invitation ● Model 3 unveiling ● Tesla Powerwall | |
1 | July 29, 2015 | October 31, 2015 | 1 5 - 10 | ● $1,000 discount ● Tesla Powerwall, or ---Nevada Gigafactory opening ● Model X discount | |
* ---My designations (not official).
**-- Some phases offered additional solar-related incentives.
***- I read that a number (80!) of (lucky, hard-working) people managed to refer 10 or more customers, and hence are apparently owed a free Roadster. Clearly, they
-----are still waiting. Allegedly, this has caused some consternation within Tesla. One reason the Roadster has been delayed and the original Referral Program killed?
**** Additional extremely helpful sources include:
Comments:
- Because of "overlays" and partial overlays, various rules and regulations (some internal within Tesla and some external [applying to particular states or regions]), plus additional rewards/benefits not listed above, the Referral Program could apparently be more complicated than it seems in the Table above. Refer to the sources listed in the Table and its footnotes for more details.
- My impression had been that the NEPA 14-50 Wall Connector (circa 2018-2019) was possibly used as a a referral award. Can anyone confirm this? Regardless, I haven't seen it listed so far by Referral Program sources.
- - Likewise, possibly, with other items like the Gen 2 J1772 HPWC and Models S/X Sonic Carbon wheels. In general, were any other products ever offered as referral awards (possibly as substitutes in place of those items listed above)? Please let us know.
- The brilliance of Elon Musk-led Tesla was to recognize/anticipate what today's car customers needed/wanted, and to craft a car-company paradigm accordingly. (An unrelated but apt analogy might be the modern Marvel Studios (from 2008 onward). Who knew that there was a world of young adult ex- or still practicing nerds out there secretly clamoring for good comic-book-related films? Well, apparently Kevin Feige and Jon Favreau did.)
-
But back to Tesla... Somehow (perhaps on the heels of the GM EV1 debacle of the '90s?) Elon Musk knew that there was a world of potential buyers for George Jetson-style high-tech electric cars; i.e., Baby-Boomer and Gen X consumers who were disgusted with the yearly Madison Avenue advertising and high-pressure car-lot salesmanship originating in Detroit (and that is still ongoing). And he was right. Maybe before consumers themselves knew.
- Judging by the pattern revealed in the table above, someone at Tesla headquarters was very busy--from 2016 to 2018, especially--dreaming up low-cost but effective rewards for word-of-mouth advertising, that apparently grew and grew and grew. Ask yourself: where did you first learn about Tesla? I'm betting it wasn't from some multi-million-dollar, Don Draper ad campaign, that's for sure.
- A likely response to this is, "Gee, those are nifty rewards. I wish Tesla hadn't stopped the Referral Program." Agreed. At the same time as the various phases of the Referral Program, Tesla may have also been providing in-car freebies, factory tours, hand-shaking opportunities at new car deliveries, and other relatively inexpensive but influential activities. These things made an impression on consumers (apparently enough of an impression to mask the bad-taste left by occasional shoddy build-quality out of Fremont [Sorry! But it's true, right?]).
- And indeed, a semblance of the Referral Program has returned, albeit in a somewhat different form. But that makes sense; today's Tesla no longer needs to maintain the arguably gimmicky and at times overly complicated Referral Program of the Twenty-teen Years. And still there are no splashy (and expensive) magazine and TV ad campaigns. (Though to be fair, we do see Tesla cars occasionally displayed prominently in fictional content like TV's "Rabbit Hole," "Invasion," and "South Park." I assume that those conspicuous cameos are not purely coincidental.)
'Jack Bauer'* drives a Legacy Model X (with 20" Helix wheels).
* Actually character 'John Weir' played by actor Kiefer Sutherland (or in this case probably a stand-in) on the TV show thriller "Rabbit Hole."
Referral Gift Photo Gallery
(Sources include archived Tesla webpages)
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