No more free unlimited supercharging for some used Tesla vehicles

[FlatSix911]

Say goodbye to free unlimited supercharging for used vehicles on the Tesla website.

Tesla removes 'free unlimited Supercharging' from its used cars - Electrek

Lately, the only way to buy a Tesla with free Supercharging was to buy a used car, but now we’ve learned that’s longer the case — at least when going through Tesla. Sources familiar with the matter told Electrek that Tesla sent a memo to sales employees last Friday to inform them that Tesla is removing the perk.

Older Model S and Model X vehicles that should be listed with free Supercharging no longer have the feature on Tesla’s website. It should still be possible to buy a used car from a third-party or directly from an owner with free Supercharging, but buyers need to be careful because Tesla switched its policy in 2017 and the ‘Free Unlimited Supercharging’ became linked to the ownership of the vehicle — making it non-transferable.

 

[2017S&XLftBhnd]

Part of the confusion is the wording they have used over time when they pull it and offer it back. My S which was ordered 12/31/2016 right before they pulled it the first time and delivered prior to 03/31/2017 shows this in my Tesla Account:

Supercharging
You have free, unlimited Supercharging for your current Tesla. If you choose to sell your current Tesla, free Supercharging will transfer to the next owner. Read our Supercharging terms.

While my X which we took delivery of an inventory vehicle approximately 3 months later shows this:

Supercharging
You have free, unlimited Supercharging for your current Tesla vehicle. If you choose to sell your current Tesla, free Supercharging will not transfer to the next owner. Read our Supercharging terms.

So I am curious if anyone can confirm via their previous VIN they traded in if it changed from the first option above.

 

[SO16]

Mine would still transfer (I assume only if I sell my vehicle privately).

“
Supercharging
You have free, unlimited Supercharging for your current Tesla. If you choose to sell your current Tesla, free Supercharging will transfer to the next owner.”

If I were to trade it in to Tesla for Tesla to resell, I suspect they would remove the free supercharging for the next owner.

 

[Tes La Ferrari]

Mine would still transfer (I assume only if I sell my vehicle privately).

“
Supercharging
You have free, unlimited Supercharging for your current Tesla. If you choose to sell your current Tesla, free Supercharging will transfer to the next owner.”

If I were to trade it in to Tesla for Tesla to resell, I suspect they would remove the free supercharging for the next owner.

Sounds like it.... the words “NEXT OWNER” are the operative words. Both words are singular. They did not say:

“You have free, unlimited Supercharging for your current Tesla. If you choose to sell your current Tesla, free Supercharging will transfer to the ALL SUBSEQUENT ownerS.”

I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do - but I think they could probably get away with doing it after 1 transfer, (for all subsequent transfers greater than 1 or after the 2nd owner transfers to the 3rd

 

[miggz410]

I'm a bit bummed out hearing about this... I was actually planning on buying a used model X and mainly use it for family road trips. I been holding it off for a few months now because I been debating if I should sell my S first. I almost bought one a few weeks ago on a 2016 90D X with only 22k miles, but decided not to because I didn't want to have two big car payments.

I guess you can still buy one with free supercharging from a third party but you have to be careful and it doesn't come with the 4yrs/50k miles warranty from tesla.

 

[azred]

Sounds like it.... the words “NEXT OWNER” are the operative words. Both words are singular. They did not say:

“You have free, unlimited Supercharging for your current Tesla. If you choose to sell your current Tesla, free Supercharging will transfer to the ALL SUBSEQUENT ownerS.”

I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do - but I think they could probably get away with doing it after 1 transfer, (for all subsequent transfers greater than 1 or after the 2nd owner transfers to the 3rd

We will have to disagree. It looks like you registered here long after this provision, but I can assure you that when I bought my 2016 S in 12/16 it was clearly understood free Supercharging was tied to the car not the ownership. (Of course if Tesla later owns my car they probably can do anything they want with it, e.g., deleting my purchased FSD.) I can’t prove that I am right, but believe anyone who bought during the affected period will echo my interpretation.

 

[outdoors]

I'm a bit bummed out hearing about this... I was actually planning on buying a used model X and mainly use it for family road trips. I been holding it off for a few months now because I been debating if I should sell my S first. I almost bought one a few weeks ago on a 2016 90D X with only 22k miles, but decided not to because I didn't want to have two big car payments.

I guess you can still buy one with free supercharging from a third party but you have to be careful and it doesn't come with the 4yrs/50k miles warranty from tesla.

Same here on buying a used S, but for my son. Kind of bummed. I understand the value of FUSC. I spent about ten minutes on the phone with a rep from Used Sales in Fremont. He explained that someone bought a CPO on Thursday and was good. Friday not. He wasn't happy as it was a selling feature for driving sales.

I inquired about third party sales. Nothing has been communicated to him and refused to speculate. I would by third party from an individual vs. Tesla anyway. Would prefer talking to someone reviewing service logs and test driving car if possible. I have read some not so great CPO stories.

Not sure how Tesla plans on tracking cars that were in the CPO program as of last Thursday compared to the ones that are out there in private hands that used to be CPO. This could turn into a nightmare of third party car sales.

 

[CraZ8]

Well this move probably added a few grand to my 2015 model S if I decide to private sell rather than trade it in next year.

 

[Stan Moraski]

Is this a game changer for anyone else? I was planning to upgrade my 2013 P85 in February 2020 when CPO warranty expires, and get a used P85D or P90DL, but now without FUSC, maybe not. My brown Model S has been a great car, so maybe hold onto it.

 

[Shibiwan]

I just picked up a 2014 MS 85 this past weekend from a 3rd party dealer (Carvana). I'm in the process of transferring ownership and hoping that the free unlimited supercharging gets transferred along with it too.

 

[SO16]

Is this a game changer for anyone else? I was planning to upgrade my 2013 P85 in February 2020 when CPO warranty expires, and get a used P85D or P90DL, but now without FUSC, maybe not. My brown Model S has been a great car, so maybe hold onto it.

Just buy from someone direct instead of thru Tesla. Onlyusedtesla.com

 

[SO16]

I just picked up a 2014 MS 85 this past weekend from a 3rd party dealer (Carvana). I'm in the process of transferring ownership and hoping that the free unlimited supercharging gets transferred along with it too.

I’d be surprised if it didn’t. As others have pointed out, Tesla can do anything with the cars that they are reselling.

 

[cucubits]

Well this move probably added a few grand to my 2015 model S if I decide to private sell rather than trade it in next year.

Maybe for someone really set on free supercharging but the effective value is not that much. I also had this irrational desire to get a used S just because it had free SC but doing the math it's really not that much.

 

[Shibiwan]

...but I didn't buy mine from Tesla. Got mine through Carvana.

 

[azred]

Maybe for someone really set on free supercharging but the effective value is not that much. I also had this irrational desire to get a used S just because it had free SC but doing the math it's really not that much.

For those of us charging nightly in our garages, you are probably right. But for those who Supercharge almost daily, there would be a lot of value.

 

[FlatSix911]

How the once mighty have fallen... very sad to see the continued decline of Tesla customer service and support.

 

[ucmndd]

How the once mighty have fallen... very sad to see the continued decline of Tesla customer service and support.

What does this have to do with removing free supercharging from cars they sell?

 

[Mwy23]

I placed my reservation on a used MS July 19, now awaiting transport. Hopefully grandfathered in...

 

[David_Cary]

This move makes sense to me. As fewer cars (as a percentage of total) have FUSC, it becomes more valuable. It has significant value to those who will SC all the time. But that value has a significant cost to Tesla.
My point is that people who SC a lot are going to gravitate to used cars that have FUSC - so the average SC use of a FUSC car is going way up - and so is the cost to Tesla.
Back in 2014,15,16 - all cars had FUSC. Most buyers didn't SC that much. So it didn't cost Tesla much.
I would have taken a $1000 discount to delete FUSC because I don't use it that much. Now my car is probably worth $1000 more because it has FUSC. 2015 70D
Hard point to make before coffee.
We have a 3 that we road trip with because of greater range. If we spend $20 a year, I will be surprised....

 

[RAW84]

How the once mighty have fallen... very sad to see the continued decline of Tesla customer service and support.

I fail to see how anyone is being wronged here or how this reflects in any way on Tesla’s customer service and support.

Tesla, like any other dealer or private party is under no obligation (neither legally nor morally) to re-sell a car they’ve purchased with same features as the car had when they took ownership. They could upgrade or downgrade the car as they see fit as long as they are making no misrepresentations to potential buyers. If they buy a car in fair condition but just so happens to have a brand new set of wheels on it they may choose to swap those wheels with another car that’s in pretty good condition but the wheels have a lot of curb rash. Would you criticize Tesla for downgrading car A? Or upgrading car B? Similarly if autopilot 1 had become a maintenance nightmare, Tesla may decide it would be more profitable sell a slightly cheaper non-AP car than to have to cover the impending warranty issues likely to arise from the legacy AP system, would you criticize them for advertising and selling a the AP capable car as a non-AP car? That’s their prerogative.

Tesla determined years ago that prepayment for unlimited supercharging wasn’t economically viable (perhaps they knew all along) for new cars. It’s no surprise that they came to the same conclusion on used cars (which likely has an even lower upcharge). Shutting it off on cars they own is completely within their purview. As long as Tesla isn’t shutting off free supercharging on 3rd party sales they are doing nothing wrong.