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Tesla has begun offering an extended warranty called Extended Service Agreement (ESA) in the U.S. The service provides further coverage for eligible vehicles following an accidental leak last year on their mobile app.
You may recall Tesla unintentionally revealed a new extended warranties program when version 4.11.0 of the mobile app went live in July 2022. A new item appeared in the Upgrades section titled Tesla ESA, priced at $7,700.
The description was unclear, with several grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and poor formatting, suggesting that it was not ready for public consumption. It was unknown whether the ESA was being prepared for all models or if the price was a placeholder.
Fast forward to today, Tesla's Vehicle Extended Service Agreement (Vehicle ESA) is now officially available for eligible Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y owners. The Vehicle ESA commences when the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty expires and ends upon reaching the selected time or mileage threshold, whichever comes first.
To be eligible, the new vehicle must be purchased directly from Tesla, and the Vehicle ESA must be purchased no later than when the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty expires.
The pricing for the Vehicle Extended Service Agreement (in USD) is:
Model S (2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever occurs first): $3,100.00
Model X (2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever occurs first): $3,500.00
Model 3 (2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever occurs first): $1,800.00
Model Y (2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever occurs first): $2,000.00
These prices are notably lower than the previously leaked $7,700 price tag. The Vehicle ESA purchase price does not include applicable state and local taxes.
The new ESA covers Model S built between 2012 and 2020, and Model X built between 2015 and 2020. There are no similar production date limitations for Model 3 and Model Y.
Unfortunately, there is no grace period. The ESA must be purchased before the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty expires (4 years or 50,000 miles). This means 2018 and some early 2019 Model 3 sedans are not eligible.
The ESA covers the repair or replacement necessary to correct defects in the materials or workmanship of most parts manufactured or supplied by Tesla during the coverage period. However, it does not include the high-voltage battery or drive unit, which have their own standard 8-year warranty.
Tesla clarifies that the ESA is not a Maintenance Plan and will not cover wear and tear items like brake pad replacements.
The deductible for Model 3 and Model Y is $100 per visit, and it's believed it will be $200 for Model S and Model X.
To purchase the ESA, open the Tesla mobile app, go to the 'Upgrades' tab, and select the 'Extended Service Agreement' option. Follow the prompts to complete the purchase, and the ESA will be added to your account. It's important to note that the ESA only takes effect after your Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty expires. It can be transferred to the next owner, which the company says can improve aftermarket value.
Tesla's Vehicle Extended Service Agreement has evolved from last year's accidental leak to its current official offering. This additional protection aims to provide greater peace of mind and an improved ownership experience for Tesla customers.
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The first Robotaxi prototype has been spotted, with a hefty layer of camouflage over its body – at the Warner Bros. Studios, where the Robotaxi event is expected to occur. This news comes right after Tesla recently announced that a stock draw was going to take place for Robotaxi event tickets.
Tesla has already begun to gather data in the WB Studio area using its Robotaxi mules – but this is the first actual Robotaxi prototype we’ve seen. The mule vehicles have been Model 3s with odd-shaped camera mounts in the rear windows – which appear to approximately line up with the shape of the new vehicle that’s rolling around the studio streets today.
The prototype itself appears to be roughly the same size and shape as the Robotaxi Concepts that we’ve seen, along with a box in the back to maybe make its shape harder to discern. Of course, the Tesla-like headlights, aero caps, and curves are fairly obvious to the seasoned observer, and it looks like a compact Model Y.
Most interestingly, it seems that Tesla has camouflaged this vehicle to try and prevent people from discerning what it is – but astute Tesla fans on Reddit have noted seeing this vehicle and several others wrapped in eye-catching bright yellow, along with fake body panels.
It seems the prototypes have two doors and steering wheels, at least currently. In a now-deleted comment, a Reddit user also mentioned they caught sight of a straight and solid rear lightbar, similar to the Cybertruck—and perhaps the leaked Model Y Juniper that was seen last month.
Unlike the Cybertruck event – where the “unbreakable” windows shattered on stage, Tesla appears to be putting a lot of effort into preparing for this event and making sure everything goes right. It definitely feels like attendees will get to experience calling for a Robotaxi and getting a ride at the Warner Bros. studio, which will make this unlike any other Tesla event before.'
We’re looking forward to seeing all the cool things Tesla will reveal at the upcoming Robotaxi event – which is on October 10 th . If you haven’t already signed up to be included in the random drawing for tickets, be sure to sign up soon, as entries for the drawing close on Tuesday, September 17th!
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Tesla has announced that it will be doubling the annual openings of its Destination Charging Network.
Destination Chargers are located at hotels, restaurants, parking garages, and other locations where you’ll be likely to spend several hours using a facility. These are all level 2 chargers, providing you with a chance to plug in, charge, and relax while you’re on a trip.
Today, Tesla has over 40,000 Wall Connectors installed at its destination charging sites – and it is planning to continue increasing that number.
Tesla previously announced back in 2023 that it was partnering with Hilton Hotels to equip 2,000 hotels across the United States, Canada, and Mexico with a staggering 20,000 Universal Wall Connectors – which are capable of charging any EVs – not just Teslas. Many of these locations are already on track to be installed or have been installed – as the plan began in early 2024.
Destination charging locations are available through your vehicle navigation – they appear as either one-bolt or two-bolt chargers at many locations. While destination charging isn’t as fast as Supercharging, you can pick up a full charge overnight at a hotel with destination charging, or top off your charge with a 1-hour dinner at a restaurant. Most destination chargers will be 11.5 kW or 9.6 kW, which will charge about 35-44 miles every hour, depending on your model.
With its Certified Installers program, Tesla also partners with local companies to get Tesla destination or urban chargers installed into environments. The Certified Installers program allows businesses to quickly find and work with Tesla-certified electricians and contractors who will be able to install the correct charging solution – and once it's enabled – make it show up within vehicle navigation.
Using a Destination Charger is as simple as plugging your vehicle in, in most cases. Some locations may charge to use them, and the Tesla app will get you squared away with automatic recognition and billing – just like using a Supercharger. One item of note is that Destination Charging prices are set by the location owner – not Tesla – so prices may vary. Many businesses use them as a way to attract customers and offer free charging.
Destination Charging is a fantastic solution for EV drivers to get from location to location without relying on Level 3 charging stops if they’re taking it slow. It also serves as a way for urban areas to get charging added to parking garages, theaters, restaurants, and other locations.
The best part about Destination Charging installs is that because its Level 2 charging for the most part – it only requires 48-amp services, which doesn’t require special infrastructure like a Supercharger does. This means that most businesses can install it fairly easily and without a big bill. We look forward to seeing Tesla’s 40,000 sites rapidly expand to the next big marker – 50,000, and then 100,000.
