With just a few weeks left in the third quarter, Tesla has launched a new incentive for customers of the Model 3 and Model Y Long Range and Performance in the United States. As per the company, customers could acquire a qualified Model 3 or Model Y and pay $0 at signing.
As noted by Tesla on the order page of the Model 3 and Model Y, the $0 due at signing promotion applies to financed vehicles when buyers apply for the $7,500 federal tax credit at point of sale OR. Customers who opt in for the $0 due at signing promotion should also expect a 2.49% APR for their vehicles’ payments for up to 60 months for a Model 3 or up to 72 months for a Model Y.
Customers who wish to get an even lower APR could instead pay a 20% downpayment for a Model Y for a loan term of 36-72 months, or a Model 3 for a loan term of 36-60 months. Buyers who pay a 20% downpayment for the Model 3 or Model Y would be getting a very attractive 1.99% APR for their purchase.
1.99% APR available through 9/30— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) September 13, 2024
Tesla has noted, however, that the promotional rates are available for qualified buyers with good credit and who order and take delivery of a new Model 3 or Model Y by the end of Q3 2024. The company also noted in its social media post that the $0 due at signing promotion applies to new orders that were placed September 12, 2024 or later.
Tesla has promoted its new incentive on the official account of Tesla North America on social media platform X. Images shared online suggest that the electric vehicle maker is also sending messages to potential customers about the ongoing promotion. Following is the message Tesla is sending to its customers about its $0 due at delivery incentive.
Tesla’s $0 down is only when you use the EV tax credit — essentially the point of sale credit covers the due at signing pic.twitter.com/H8qI2Lqpj5— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) September 14, 2024
$0 Due at Delivery Is Available Now
Drive home a new Model 3 today without paying any out-of-pocket expenses at delivery.
Take delivery by September 30, 2024, and get $0 due at delivery plus 2.49% APR* financing on a new qualifying Model 3 for up to 60 months when you apply the Federal Tax Credit** at point-of-sale.
Or put 20% down and get 1.99% APR* when you finance a qualifying Model 3 for up to 60 months. Prequalify or design yours to get started.
The Model 3 and Model Y are Tesla’s two best-selling vehicles, and they comprise the lion’s share of the company’s sales every quarter. Both vehicles are popular, so it would be quite interesting to see just how much the recently announced $0 due at signing promotion affects Model 3 and Model Y orders in the United States this month.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
News
Tesla back on top as Norway’s EV market surges to 98% share in February
Tesla became Norway’s top-selling brand with 1,210 registrations, representing a 16.6% share.
Tesla reclaimed the top spot in Norway’s auto market in February as electric vehicles captured more than 98% of all new car registrations.
The rebound follows a sharp January slump triggered by VAT rule changes, which prompted numerous car buyers to advance their purchases into late 2025.
As per data from the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV), 7,127 new electric vehicles were registered in February, representing a 98.01% market share. Fossil-fuel vehicles and hybrids accounted for just 2% of total new registrations.
Total new car registrations reached 7,272 units in February, hinting at a rapid recovery after January sales fell nearly 75% year-over-year following VAT adjustments.
OFV Director Geir Inge Stokke noted that similar patterns were observed after previous VAT changes in 2022, with demand temporarily weakening before normalizing, as noted in an Allt Om Elbil report.
“We are now seeing signs that the market is returning to a more normal level of activity, which we also experienced after the VAT change in 2022. At that time, changes in demand led to a weak start to 2023. We have seen the same pattern this year,” he said.
Amidst this trend, the Tesla Model Y made a strong comeback in the domestic market. After an unusually weak January that saw the Tesla Model Y drop to seventh place, the model returned to the top of Norway’s sales chart in February.
The Model Y recorded 1,073 registrations, giving it a 14.8% market share for the month. Tesla also became Norway’s top-selling brand with 1,210 registrations, representing a 16.6% share. Toyota followed with 941 registrations, while Volkswagen, Volvo, and Skoda rounded out the top five brands.
The February data suggests that Tesla’s January dip was tied more to timing effects around VAT adjustments than to structural demand shifts. It would then be interesting to see how the rest of the year unfolds for Tesla, particularly as the company pushes for the release of its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system to Europe this year.
News
Tesla arson suspect pleads guilty, faces up to 70 years in prison
The update was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
A Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty to federal arson charges tied to a March 2025 attack on a Tesla Collision Center in Nevada.
The update was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, Paul Hyon Kim spray-painted the word “RESIST” on the front entrance of the Tesla Collision Center before damaging the facility and multiple vehicles.
Federal prosecutors stated that Kim used a PA-15 multi-caliber firearm equipped with a .300 BLACKOUT upper receiver and a 7.62mm silencer to shoot out surveillance cameras. He then fired multiple rounds into Tesla vehicles on the property.
Authorities stated that Kim later threw three Molotov cocktails into three separate Tesla vehicles. Two of the devices exploded and ignited the vehicles, while a third did not detonate. In total, five Tesla vehicles were damaged in the incident.
Kim pleaded guilty to two counts of arson of property used in interstate commerce, one count of attempted arson of property used in interstate commerce, and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm classified as a destructive device.
The mandatory minimum sentence for the charges is five years in federal prison, though the total maximum statutory penalty is 70 years, as per a release from the United States Attorney’s Office of the District of Nevada.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. A federal judge will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the Clark County Fire Department.
Elon Musk
SpaceX pursues 5G-level connectivity with Starlink Mobile V2 expansion
SpaceX noted that the upcoming Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current first-generation system.
SpaceX has previewed a major upgrade to Starlink Mobile, outlining next-generation satellites that aim to deliver significantly higher capacity and full 5G-level connectivity directly to mobile phones.
The update comes as Starlink rebrands its Direct-to-Cell service to Starlink Mobile, positioning the platform as a scalable satellite-to-mobile solution that’s integrated with global telecom partners.
SpaceX noted that the upcoming Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current first-generation system. The company also noted that the new V2 satellites are designed to provide significantly higher throughput capability compared to its current iteration.
“The next generation of Starlink Mobile satellites – V2 – will deliver full cellular coverage to places never thought possible via the highest performing satellite-to-mobile network ever built.
“Driven by custom SpaceX-designed silicon and phased array antennas, the satellites will support thousands of spatial beams and higher bandwidth capability, enabling around 20x the throughput capability as compared to a first-generation satellite,” SpaceX wrote in its official Starlink Mobile page.
Thanks to the higher bandwidth of Starlink Mobile, users should be able to stream, browse the internet, use high-speed apps, and enjoy voice services comparable to terrestrial cellular networks.
In most environments, Starlink says the upgraded system will enable full 5G cellular connectivity with a user experience similar to existing ground-based networks.
The satellites function as “cell towers in space,” using advanced phased-array antennas and laser interlinks to integrate with terrestrial infrastructure in a roaming-like architecture.
“Starlink Mobile works with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky. The satellites have an antenna that acts like a cellphone tower in space, the most advanced phased array antennas in the world that connect seamlessly over lasers to any point in the globe, allowing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner,” SpaceX wrote.
Starlink Mobile currently operates with approximately 650 satellites in low-Earth orbit and is active across more than 32 countries, representing over 1.7 billion people through partnerships with mobile network operators. Starlink Mobile’s current partnerships span North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, allowing reciprocal access across participating nations.
Tesla back on top as Norway’s EV market surges to 98% share in February
Tesla arson suspect pleads guilty, faces up to 70 years in prison
