Tesla is offering 10,000 miles of free supercharging to buyers if they purchase and take delivery of a Model S or Model X by the end of the quarter, which concludes on March 31st. Those who do will enjoy plenty of unpaid fast-charging using the automaker’s excellent network of high-speed Superchargers.
According to City Dwellers, while offering free supercharger miles is a common tactic Tesla uses to boost sales before a quarter ends, the automaker’s typical offer is only 2,000 miles. It’s unclear what has motivated Tesla to increase the incentive five fold to 10,000 miles, but it could be a combination of falling gas prices tamping demand for EVs and an uncertain economy that’s still searching for stability.
As mentioned, the new incentive applies only if you are buying one of Tesla’s most expensive models, the Model S or Model X. City Dwellers estimates the 10,000 miles of supercharging is worth around $500 depending on where you live (the price of electricity varies by region). If that’s the case, this incentive seems somewhat paltry compared to the high-dollar price tags of these two EVs.
Imagine Tesla offering a $500 price cut on the Model S and Model X; would that amount be enough to move anyone off the fence? Offering the incentive as free supercharger miles, though, allows Tesla to use a much larger number – 10,000 compared to 500 – when pitching the offer to potential buyers.
Of course, people interested in free supercharger miles can find a lot more than 10,000 if they shop on the used market. During the early years of the Model S and Model X, Tesla sold these vehicles with free unlimited supercharging for the life of the car. That ended with the 2017 model year, but there are still great deals on used models that have the perk and it is 100-percent transferable.
