Tesla Expanding Referral Program, Still Probably Going To Be Messy

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

In a letter to Model S owners, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that its referral “experiment” had gone well and that the company would be expanding the program, according to HybridCars.

Owners can refer as many people as they want, and although the “free” Model X cars have likely already been claimed in each of the three sales regions, the top referrer by Oct. 31 can trade in their Model S for a P85D with “ludicrous” speed mode. Referring 10 new buyers now means you can buy a fully loaded “Founder Series” Model X for the price of a base Model X (a $25,000 savings according to the company).

It’ll still probably be ugly for whomever wins at the end.

Dealers in California have called the program illegal, saying the referral program amounts to “bird dogging” by the manufacturer.

Tesla has responded to the allegations by expanding the program and ignoring everyone anyway.

“We looked carefully at those regulations,” Tesla spokesman Ricardo Reyes told HybridCars. “They were enacted decades ago to prevent rogue salespeople, not from preventing friends from recommending products they love.”


Aaron Cole
Aaron Cole

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 3 comments
  • I'm gonna call up Wall Street CEO's pretending to be Musk. Once I get enough buyers, I'll get my free TESLA...then SELL it for both HELLCATS. Go viral... Video the entire thing just to pizz the Liberal Greeners off. PROFIT till the END OF TIME.

  • Healthy skeptic Healthy skeptic on Sep 10, 2015

    When state legislators accept dealer lobby money to pass protectionist laws forcing manufacturers to sell only through dealers, can those legislators be charged with bird dogging?

  • VolandoBajo VolandoBajo on Sep 10, 2015

    How about "bellying up to the trough"?

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