Tesla has launched the new Mobile Tire Service program to better serve owners who end up on the side of the road with a flat tire.
Unlike most cars, Tesla’s Model S and Model X does not come with a spare tire onboard. Getting a flat tire typically means waiting for Tesla Roadside Assistance to come rescue with an occasionally available loaner wheel and tire or experiencing a long wait time for a tow truck, only adding to the frustration. It seems that Tesla has heard the feedback from owners. As part of the the company’s goal to ramp up its mobile service offering, Tesla has launched a pilot program near the San Francisco Bay Area that will assist stranded Model S and Model X owners with on-the-spot wheel and tire repair.
Tesla posted a job description for a Mobile Tire Technician onto its careers page that reads as follows:
Tesla Motors is looking for an experienced Mobile Tire Technician to work on one of the most progressive vehicle brands in the world. This position requires a significant amount of customer interaction, so the ideal candidate will not only possess the technical acumen, but also the ability to provide a strong level of customer service. This position will service the San Francisco Bay area; however, the role will require daily travel within the region directed by Roadside Support team.
Redditor and Bay Area Model S owner “Dagery” shared an experience with a flat tire and Tesla’s latest Mobile Service offering. Upon contacting Tesla Roadside Assistance, Dagery was presented with 3 options:
- Get towed to the nearest Service Center
- Borrow a loaner tire/rim
- Utilize the Mobile Tire Service
Dagery chose to use Tesla’s Mobile Tire Service that ultimately turned around the repair, from flat to back-again-on-the-freeway, in 60 minutes.
Dagery notes that the tech first arrived within 20 minutes of the call, and after offering a beverage, laid out the options for the repair. Tesla’s Mobile Service van brought along a selection of twenty-plus tires with them, to allow customers to select and purchase a tire right then and there. Perhaps more impressive is that the mobile service van is equipped with shop equipment that can clean, mount and balance the tire and wheel combination directly from within the mobile unit.
The service tech informed Dagery that the service was part of a new pilot program intended to cut the wait time for customers experiencing a flat tire. Tesla will expand service to different regions pending success of the new initiative.
Tesla currently offers a limited amount of tire and wheel options across its entire fleet of vehicles. Offering a mobile tire and wheel repair service is something that will only become more complex as vehicles models offered by Tesla continue to increase.