Tesla is waving goodbye to its referral program again. This program has been around for years, rewarding current Tesla owners for spreading the word and getting their friends to buy Teslas.
Remember way back when? Tesla owners realized they were practically selling Teslas themselves through conversations and test drives with friends. They convinced Tesla to create a program where everyone wins – owners get something for their efforts, and new buyers get a little perk.
The program launched in 2015 and has seen many makeovers since then. Originally, it was a straightforward $1,000 reward for referrals. Over time, it transformed into a system of tiers, points, and various other ways to earn prizes.
Here’s how it worked: a potential buyer would use a current owner’s referral link to order a Tesla. In return, the buyer might get a discount, free Supercharging miles, or even free access to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software (FSD). The referring owner, on the other hand, would earn points or credits towards a prize.
Tesla even got a little carried away at one point, promising free or discounted “next-gen Roadsters” as prizes. They even said they’d be giving away around 80 of these futuristic vehicles (or are they even cars?) – whenever they finally get built, that is.
Let’s say giving away such expensive prizes wasn’t sustainable. Tesla scaled back the rewards significantly in 2019, and eventually ended the program for everything except solar roofs in 2021. Now, it’s curtains for the referral program entirely, effective April 30th worldwide.
