Referral Scheme Changing - Supercharging?

[Joelr]

Hi All,

Am currently looking at ordering a Model S and 99% sure I’ll go for one but don’t need delivery until October/November time but there has been little incentive for me to order now, especially with lower interest rates on inventory stock and also hoping the rate may go down.

I received an email from the Sales contact who’d I’ve been dealing saying that there will likely be changes to the referral scheme and that Lifetime Supercharging will end. This caught me by surprise and a little sceptical about this. The current referral scheme was announced on 1st May and became effective on 15th May for new orders.

I know there are rumours about changes to Supercharging and it’s inclusion in the referral scheme on an annual basis. Tesla are desperate to make profits this and next quarter and can’t imagine they would make changes that could effect orders so heavily.

What are peoples thoughts on this? Is this just a ploy to get a low hanging order in or a a kind heads up for real changes?

Thanks in advance,
Joel

 

[BradWI]

Sales reps likely have no more advanced knowledge of the referral program than we do. They just say what they think helps them sell cars.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Yes, exactly that. They are car salespeople after all.

edit: That's not saying things won't change... it's just that those changes are held very closely within the referral program and don't 'leak' out like that to front line sales people.

 

[bonnie]

@Joelr -- I dunno. It might or might not go away - or there could be something like 'this many free hours per year' or 'first year free supercharging', etc.

Model 3 does not get free supercharging, even with a referral code. The billing system is in place for supercharging, so it's easy to expand it to the rest of the vehicles sold. Or it could just be a marketing ploy. It use to be free lifetime supercharging (meaning it followed the car), now it's free supercharging as long as you own the car (goes away for the next owner, if you sell).

You'll have to decide how important free supercharging is to you and how willing you are to roll the dice on this.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

IF they do take away free lifetime Supercharging, I would think Tesla would give a heads-up first. They did this back in 2016 so that buyers knew it would be going away. They extended it a couple of weeks into 2017. Once it did go away, they brought it back (kind of) via the referral program. While the current free Supercharging doesn't transfer when the car is sold, any cars from the first two weeks of 2017 and earlier do have free Supercharging that remains with the car.

Anyhow, Tesla was sure to point out that free Supercharging was going away in the past so I would hope they would give a similar warning in the future.

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

Its unlimited against, if I recall correctly, about 400kwh worth a year. If you're a high miler or intend to live on superchargers, you may not exceed this, and if you do, its something like $0.20 a kwh depending where you are. Even with a heavy right foot, thats $0.10 a mile or for 5k miles of supercharger electricity its $500 worth a year. If the choice was the latest spec car when you want it or the risk (it may not happen) of losing $1.5k over 3 years in supercharger fees, a car soon than you want it and possibly miss out on some changes, I think you'd pay the $1,500.

 

[bob_p]

What they are doing now, essentially bundling FUSC (Free Unlimited Supercharging) with every Model S & X makes sense - it helps to differentiate between the higher priced S & X models and the lower priced 3 (and Y) models.

It also emphasizes a major benefit Tesla has over the other manufacturers introducing competing long range EVs - they don't have a charging network - at least not today.

Even if they pull the program, would not be surprised to see it come back in some form - which is what happened the last time they did this.

Tesla's done the numbers on this - the average supercharging is likely around 400KWh per year, so this isn't a huge savings for most people. Though with the new Model X we are getting - it's nice to know the supercharging will be free for life...

 

[Joelr]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. I could see myself in a typical month maybe using supercharges 2, maybe 3 times, so it isn’t the biggest deal if it went away. I do believe Tesla would give a heads up and it is a sales person just pushing for another sale.

 

[sidmini]

hi Joelr,

As Elon said the best time to buy is now! price go up and down with Tesla, most recently they have gone up with premium connectivity being charged at $100 after July 1st and then Full self-driving increase as a price in the options.

Have sent you a PM with more info