Tesla is ending its popular referral program that rewarded owners with a load of free perks because it's getting too expensive
- Tesla's customer referral program will end February 1, Elon Musk said on Twitter.
- The program was adding too much cost to vehicle production, especially the Model 3, he added.
- Tesla owners participating in the referral program can receive rewards such as the opportunity to send a laser-etched photo into "deep space orbit," as well as a signature black wall connector for charging, a miniature Model S for kids, and even upgraded wheels.
Tesla will end its customer referral program on February 1, CEO Elon Musk tweeted late Wednesday, saying it was costing the company too much money.
"The Tesla customer referral program will end on Feb 1.," Musk said. "If you want to refer a friend to buy a Tesla & give them 6 months of free Supercharging, please do so before then."
When pressed for details, the billionaire added that orders must occur before February 1, and the program was adding too much cost to the cars, especially Model 3."
Rewards for Tesla owners whose leads end up as orders include the opportunity to send a laser-etched photo into "deep space orbit," as well as a signature black wall connector for charging, a miniature Model S for kids, and even upgraded wheels, depending on the number of referrals. The program was most recently updated in December 2018.
Tesla owners participating in the program can offer their friends perks such as six months of free supercharging as an enticement to buy. If a referred customer buys without a test drive, Tesla will throw in another three months of free supercharging.
Tesla, which posted a surprise profit during the third quarter, is counting on the Model 3 sedan to continue that profitability. In that report from October, the company said it was producing about 4,000 Model 3's per week, an increase from previous periods, but still below its previous target of 5,000 per week.
Read more: Tesla will give you a free Model 3 if you can hack its computer system
While the company has still not confirmed a reporting date for its fourth quarter financials (it's expected February 6), it did warn that "gross margin for Model S and X will likely decline slightly in Q4," thanks to a sequential increase in tariffs on Chinese-sourced components.
To avoid any larger impact from the trade war, Tesla is building a new "Gigafactory" in Shanghai, where Musk traveled to meet with local leaders and break ground on the plant earlier this month.