News
Tesla offers new $3,000 discount or free Supercharging with trade-ins, slashing prices further
Update: Tesla has confirmed the Model 3 and Model Y are not included in this promotion. Paragraph 7 reflects this, as well as confirmation from Tesla.
2/2 4:10 PM: Additional details added in paragraph 3 and 7.
Tesla is now offering additional discounts or free Supercharging incentives with the purchase of new Model S and Model X vehicles, but the automaker is requiring owners to trade in an existing car.
Tesla has gotten off to a fast start in 2023 with substantial price cuts that, when coupled with government incentives, can discount vehicles by roughly $20,000 on qualifying vehicles. As we reported yesterday, Tesla seems focused on pushing sales figures up earlier in the quarter, opting for an earlier strategy as opposed to the end-of-quarter pushes that it has utilized in the past.
Now Tesla is taking it a step further, as the company is reaching out to some current owners, attempting to woo them to purchase a new vehicle with a $3,000 discount or three years of free Supercharging, as long as they trade in their Tesla. Tesla is only offering this discount to owners it reaches out to in an “invite-only” style of promotion.
Several owners who recently inquired with Tesla to purchase new vehicles through trade-in value requests or test drives have received follow-up phone calls from an Ownership Loyalty Team member offering either a discount or free Supercharging.
These discounts are being offered on top of the recent price cuts, which have decreased prices by as much as $13,000. In an email to a customer, Tesla reps said, “the options of $3k credit of a new Tesla or 3 years of free supercharger miles (whichever you prefer)” are available on trade-ins as long as the order is placed soon. It expires “in February,” but Tesla didn’t specify the exact date.
Credit: Tesla
The rep also stated it was an opportunity to upgrade to a new vehicle while renewing its warranty. Owners offered the promotion were told they were required to trade in an existing vehicle.
Teslarati received confirmation of the offer by a member of Tesla’s Ownership Loyalty Program team. Tesla is not including the Model 3 and Model Y in this promotion, the company confirmed. Tesla showrooms were not made aware of the promotion.
The promotion is being called an “Ownership Loyalty Offer,” which could hint that Tesla is trying to keep current owners with the company instead of testing other EV options.
Tesla delivered over 1.3 million vehicles last year but narrowly missed its delivery growth targets. In 2023, the company is aiming for 1.8 million deliveries, but CEO Elon Musk said the company is capable of delivering 2 million units this year.
Tesla is evidently attempting to push more vehicles out the door at a pace quicker than ever before, and it is offering additional discounts to convince buyers to do so. The price cuts in early January were the automaker’s first move to trigger sales, and it has ignited a price war between EV manufacturers as the companies fight for market share. The offer of Free Supercharging has also been used in the past by Tesla to encourage sales of new vehicles.
In response to Tesla’s price cuts, Ford announced discounts of up to $5,900 on Mustang Mach-E trims this morning.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla Diner to transition to full-service restaurant as Chef heads for new venture
“I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli. Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish.”
Tesla Diner, the all-in-one Supercharging and dining experience located in Los Angeles, will transition to a full-service restaurant in January, staff said, as Chef Eric Greenspan said he would take on a new project.
A report from the Los Angeles Times says Greenspan confirmed through a text that he would leave the Diner and focus on the opening of his new Jewish deli, Mish.
Greenspan confirmed to the paper:
“I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli. Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish.”
Greenspan took on the job at the Tesla Diner and curated the menu back in March, focusing on locally-sourced ingredients and items that would play on various company products, like Cybertruck-shaped boxes that hold burgers.
Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner
The Tesla Diner has operated as somewhat of a self-serve establishment, where Tesla owners can order directly from their vehicles through the center touchscreen. It was not exclusive to Tesla owners. Guests could also enter and order at a counter, and pick up their food, before sitting at a booth or table.
However, the report indicates Tesla is planning to push it toward a sit-down restaurant, full of waiters, waitresses, and servers, all of which will come to a table after you are seated, take your order, and serve your food.
It will be more of a full-featured restaurant experience moving forward, which is an interesting move from the company, but it also sounds as if it could be testing for an expansion.
We know that Tesla is already considering expanding locations, as it will be heading to new areas of the country. CEO Elon Musk has said that Tesla will be considering locations in Palo Alto near the company’s Engineering HQ, and in Austin, where its HQ and Gigafactory Texas are located.
Musk said that the Diner has been very successful in its first few months of operation.
News
Tesla adds new surprising fee to Robotaxi program
“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”
Tesla has added a new and somewhat surprising fee to the Robotaxi program. It’s only surprising because it was never there before.
Tesla shocked everyone when it launched its Robotaxi platform and offered riders the opportunity to tip, only to tell them they do not accept tips. It was one of the company’s attempts at being humorous as it rolled out its driverless platform to people in Austin.
As it has expanded to new cities and been opened to more people, as it was yesterday to iOS users, Tesla has had to tweak some of the minor details of the Robotaxi and ride-hailing platforms it operates.
First Look at Tesla’s Robotaxi App: features, design, and more
With more riders, more vehicles, and more operational jurisdictions, the company has to adjust as things become busier.
Now, it is adjusting the platform by adding “Cleaning Fees” to the Robotaxi platform, but it seems it is only charged if the vehicle requires some additional attention after your ride.
The app will communicate with the rider with the following message (via Not a Tesla App):
“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”
The cost of the cleaning will likely depend on how severe the mess is. If you spill a soda, it will likely cost less than if you lose your lunch in the back of the car because you had a few too many drinks.
This is an expected change, and it seems to be one that is needed, especially considering Tesla is operating a small-scale ride-hailing service at the current time. As it expands to more states and cities and eventually is available everywhere, there will be more situations that will arise.
The messes in vehicles are not a new situation, especially in a rideshare setting. It will be interesting to see if Tesla will enable other fees, like ones for riders who request a ride and do not show up for it.
News
Tesla Model Y sold out in China for 2025
Customers who wish to get their cars by the end of the year would likely need to get an inventory unit.
It appears that the Model Y has been sold out for 2025 in China. This seems to be true for the four variants of the vehicle that are currently offered in the country.
Tesla China’s order page update
A look at Tesla China’s order page for the Model Y shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks.
As per industry watchers, these updates on the Model Y’s order page suggest that Tesla China’s sales capacity for the remainder of 2025 has been sold out. The fact that estimated delivery timeframes for the Model Y Long Range RWD and AWD extend up to 13 weeks also bodes well for demand for the vehicle, especially given strong rivals like the Xiaomi YU7, which undercuts the Model Y in price.
Tesla China’s upcoming big updates
What is quite interesting is that Tesla China is still competing in the country with one hand partly tied behind its back. So far, Tesla has only been able to secure partial approval for its flagship self-driving software, FSD, in China. This has resulted in V14 not being rolled out to the country yet. Despite this, Tesla China’s “Autopilot automatic assisted driving on urban roads,” as the system is called locally, has earned positive reviews from users.
As per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, however, Tesla is expecting to secure full approval for FSD in China in early 2026. “We have partial approval in China, and we hopefully will have full approval in China around February or March or so. That’s what they’ve told us,” Musk said.