Tesla Referral Program gets revamp – but still only for solar, so far

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2 years ago

November 22, 2022

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Tesla has revamped its referral program in North America, shifting to a system allowing current Tesla owners to use their Tesla referral code to earn “loyalty points” that can be spent on various Tesla products.

The newest iteration referral program gives “credits” to both the buyer and referrer of a product, with a scaling amount of credits depending on the product purchased. The credits are only given to both buyer and referrer if the buyer is not a current Tesla customer – if they are a current customer, then they will earn their own “loyalty credits” but won’t be able to use a referral code.

Tesla’s referral program page lays out the specifics, with further information available in the Tesla app’s “loot box” section.

So far, the only products that qualify for credits are Tesla solar panels and the Tesla solar roof, both of which give 6,000 credits each.

The page does say “earn credits upon delivery of your car or activation of your solar system,” which suggests that cars may be added to the page at some point. We’re not sure how many credits they will generate if they do get added to the program. While Tesla’s referral program was ended last year for cars, cash rewards for solar referrals continued and were active up until yesterday, when Tesla revamped the program to give out credits instead of cash.

Those credits can then be spent on other Tesla products, though they expire after 12 months if not spent. The products are a selection from those on Tesla’s online shop, including both useful accessories for Tesla owners and some of the more “meme” products like Tesla’s short shorts or bizarre sipping glasses.

Here’s a complete list of products available:

Wall Connector – 6,000 credits / J1772 Wall Connector – 11,000 credits
Tesla CCS Combo 1 Adapter – 5,000 credits
2,000 Supercharger Miles – 4,800 credits
Model X/3/S/Y Pet Liner – 2,900 credits
Tesla Sipping Glasses – 1,750 credits
Tesla Short Shorts – 1,469 credits
Hoodie – 2,000 credits
License plate frame – 800 credits
Wall connector faceplate – 1,500 credits
Various T-shirts – 700 credits each

The prices don’t seem to map proportionally to the prices of the real-life items (for example, the Wall Connector is $400, and J1772 Wall Connector is $550), but it looks like the value of a single solar roof referral is about the same as it was in the previous version of the program – in the range of a few hundred dollars.

We’ve expected something to happen with the referral program for a little while now, reporting last year that Tesla was considering changes to the program and then finding out last month that Tesla had updated the mobile app with new referral program info.

Last month, Tesla launched a new “points rewards” program in China, which turns out to be very similar to these new changes to the referral program. China also gets quarterly and annual raffles, which seem to be missing from the North American program. And Europe does not seem to have a similar referral program update as of this moment.

Tesla originally spawned the referral program after requests from Tesla fans who wanted to be rewarded for the number of friends they had converted to driving electric. In the early days of Tesla and EVs, word of mouth from EV fans was very effective at selling cars, particularly given the number of questions that prospective buyers might have about a new technology.

The referral program started off with $1,000 in “Tesla credits” for each use of an owner’s Tesla referral code. Those credits could be used on service and Tesla products, and then later Tesla started to offer various prizes like wall connectors, wheel sets, Tesla-branded luggage, and even sending your photos into space. It was modified many times, but eventually got a little out of control and Tesla killed off the program after they ended up promising over 80 next-gen Roadsters to top referrers.

The program was then scaled back to offer 1,000 free Supercharger miles to buyers and referrers, and most recently only consisted of a cash reward for solar roof referrals.

As of now, it looks like Tesla has mostly just modified the existing program of cash rewards for solar installations, but it’s clear that they have more planned given the “car” verbiage on their referral pages.

Electrek’s Take

This is interesting timing, considering Tesla has recently drastically scaled back its solar operation. We’ve received several reports of projects being cancelled and Tesla claiming they are shutting down operations, even in some popular markets, just in the last few weeks. So it seems like an odd time to revamp a system for solar referrals.

But this isn’t just about solar, is it? It seems clear that the program is intended to include cars at some point; they’re just not on there yet.

The introduction of the referral program in China coincided with a price drop in the region, suggesting that Tesla was looking to shore up demand after a few years of continual price hikes across the lineup and around the globe.

While we haven’t seen a price drop in the US (and don’t necessarily expect one), this could still be a way that Tesla is prepping to shore up demand on certain products, by adding them to the referral program when or if they see a need.

As for how we feel about it – this does seem a little more robust than the previous programs. Instead of a maze of ever-changing prize tiers, some of which were worth large amounts and took forever to deliver and some of which never materialized, we now have a clearer list of readily available products that have some monetary value but not enough to make referrers feel like total shills when recommending Tesla vehicles.

One of the issues with the original program, in my mind, was that it turned previously innocent EV evangelism into a method for personal profit, thus making it seem that word-of-mouth advocacy was being done for monetary gain, rather than honest recommendations from EV fans. It threatened to make EV fans seem like commissioned car salesman rather than genuine and honest advocates.

Now, there’s still a sense of monetary gain here, but it’s more like a perk – a few T-shirts, some supercharger miles, or a spare charging connector for each use of a referral code. It’s not as overwhelming as the idea that someone could earn a several thousand dollar Powerwall system or potentially even a supercar after hawking a Tesla to their friends.

So it seems like an improvement, but we’ll have to wait to see how it all shakes out, and whether Tesla adds other products to the program.

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Environment

Tesla issues recall on over 200,000 for the self-driving computer failure

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2 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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Tesla issues recall on over 200,000 for the self-driving computer failure

Tesla has officially issued a recall on over 200,000 vehicles in the US over the self-driving computer inside the vehicle short-circuiting and failing to work.

This is an issue that Electrek has been reporting on for a month.

In December, Electrek released an exclusive report about Tesla having a major issue with a new version of its onboard “Full Self-Driving computer,” AI4.1, failing due to a short circuit, and Tesla must replace the computers.

We found examples of the issue arising as far back as July. The problem can start quickly, within a few miles on a brand-new car or after a few hundred to a few thousand miles.

When the computer fails, many vehicle features stop working, like active safety features, auto wipers, auto high beams, cameras, and even GPS, navigation, and range estimations.

Tesla’s fix was to replace the computer completely, but sources also mentioned a temporary software fix to enable some of the features in the meantime.

We followed up with another report earlier this week that highlighted how it is leaving customers in a difficult situation without the features and with faster battery degradation as the computer appears stuck in an auto-update mode that drains 5 kWh per day.

In the latest report, we also mentioned that Tesla has yet to issue a recall regarding this issue despite having to do so since these vehicles have become non-compliant with NHTSA without rear-view cameras.

Today, Tesla officially released a recall over the issue. For the first time, we get a better idea of the affected population, which adds up to 239,382 vehicles:

The subject population includes certain Model Year (MY) 2024 – 2025 Model 3, MY 2023-2025 Model Y, MY 2024-2025 Model S and MY 2023-2025 Model X vehicles that were equipped with certain car computers and operating a software release that was prior to 2024.44.25.3 or 2024.45.25.6

In the recall notice, Tesla describes the non-compliance:

On a small percentage of affected vehicles, upon vehicle power up, a reverse current may cause a shorting failure on the car computer board, resulting in the loss of rearview camera functionality, which does not comply with FMVSS 111, S5.5 and S6.2

Again, the problem is much larger than that as the entire computer fails, but the automaker only mentions the rear-view camera because that’s the part that makes it a safety risk and non-complaint.

Tesla says that it noticed the higher rate of computer failure on November 21, 2024. It started investigating and after about a month, it believes it has an idea of the cause, which would be several factors working together:

This sequence of specific software and hardware configurations, coupled with colder temperatures, could increase reverse current, which could short the primary and/or secondary power components.

As of December 30, 2024, Tesla has identified 887 warranty claims related to this issue.

In the remedy section of the recall, Tesla explains that it will push the software fix to the entire population, but it will also continue to provide computer replacement for vehicles who experience shorting:

On or shortly after December 18, 2024, at no cost to customers, affected vehicles began receiving an over-the-air (OTA) software update that changes the vehicle power up sequence to prevent the shorting failure condition to the primary and/or secondary power component. No further action is necessary from owners of affected vehicles that are equipped with software release 2024.44.25.3, 2024.45.25.6 or a later release if an affected vehicle has not experienced the shorting failure condition or stress that may lead to the shorting failure condition. Tesla is actively working to identify which affected vehicles, if any, experienced stress that may lead to the shorting failure condition. If an affected vehicle experienced the shorting failure condition or stress that may lead to the shorting failure condition prior to installing software release 2024.44.25.3, 2024.45.25.6 or a later release, then Tesla will replace the vehicle’s car computer at no cost to the customer.

We reported that some customers experiencing this issue are having to wait for months for a computer replacement.

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Environment

Mazda unveils its new EV for Europe: Meet the Mazda 6e with nearly 350 miles range

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2 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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Mazda unveils its new EV for Europe: Meet the Mazda 6e with nearly 350 miles range

The electric Mazda 6 successor will arrive in Europe this summer. Mazda finally revealed its new EV, the Mazda 6e, with nearly 350 miles of driving range. Check out the new Mazda EV below.

Meet the new Mazda 6e EV for Europe

Mazda unveiled the 6e at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium on Friday. The sleek electric sedan is the European version of the Mazda EZ-6, sold in China.

The EZ-6 is made by Mazda’s Chinese joint venture, Changan Mazda. It has been on sale in China since October, starting at just 139,800 yuan, or less than $20,000. Now, Mazda is bringing the Chinese-made EV to Europe.

Mazda said the new 6e is “designed to attain the driving performance and functionality to meet European customers’ needs.”

Although it’s tailored for European buyers, the 6e was still developed by Mazda and its Chinese partners. You can see the new EV still includes the classic Mazda design. However, the 6e is powered by Changan’s hybrid platform and is loaded with the latest in-cabin smart tech.

In China, the EZ-6 is available in EV and extended-range configurations. The all-electric model gets up to 372 miles (600 km) CLTC range.

Mazda will offer two battery options in Europe, 80 kWh and 68.8 kWh. The larger (80 kWh) battery pack provides up to 343 miles (552 km) WLTP range, while the smaller option can get up to around 300 miles (479 km) range.

At 4,921 mm long, 1,890 mm wide, and 1,491 mm tall, the new Mazda 6e is about the size of a Tesla Model 3 (4,720 mm long, 1,922 mm wide, and 1,441 mm tall with a 2,875 mm wheelbase).

Mazda-6e-EV-interior — Mazda 6e interior (Source: Mazda)

Like in China, the European-made EV includes a clean interior with a 14.6″ infotainment and 10.1″ driver display screens. The “smart cabin” also features a 50″ virtual head-up display and other premium features like zero-gravity reclining seats.

The Mazda 6e will go on sale in Europe this summer as the Japanese automaker looks to meet the EU’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates.

Mazda-$20,000-EV — Mazda EZ-6 electric sedan in China (Source: Changan Mazda)

Since it will be exported from China, Mazda will still pay for it after the EU raised tariffs on Chinese EV imports by up to 45.3%. Mazda will reveal prices closer to launch, but they are expected to start much higher than the $20,000 price tag in China.

Earlier this week, we also learned Mazda will build its first dedicated EV on a new platform in Japan. The company is building a new module pack plant to supply battery cells for the upcoming electric car.

What do you think of the electric Mazda 6 successor? Would you buy one in the US or Europe? Let us know in the comments.

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Environment

World’s largest EV maker unveils new sodium battery electric motorbikes

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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World's largest EV maker unveils new sodium battery electric motorbikes

Yadea, which has claimed the title of the world’s largest electric vehicle maker for seven years running, has just announced a new electric motorbike powered by the company’s innovative HuaYu sodium-ion battery technology.

Yadea has long dominated the electric two-wheeler and three-wheeler market globally, but has generally relied on both lithium-ion and lead acid batteries to power its vehicles in different markets.

The newly unveiled electric scooter uses Yadea’s recently introduced sodium battery technology, offering what the company says is outstanding performance in range, charging speed, and safety. Using the HuaYu Sodium Superfast Charging Ecosystem presented by Yadea, the battery can reach 80% charge in just 15 minutes, providing greater convenience for riders.

Yadea’s sodium battery has successfully passed more than 20 safety tests, many focusing on its resistance to fire and explosions under extreme conditions like punctures and compression.

Yadea’s new sodium battery offers an energy density of 145 Wh/kg and a lifespan of up to 1,500 cycles at room temperature, with the company rating it for a five-year useful lifespan. It also includes a three-year warranty for added assurance.

With excellent low-temperature capabilities, the battery retains over 92% of its discharge capacity at -20°C, making it well-suited for colder climates.

Sodium batteries present major advantages

Most electric vehicles used in the West, especially electric two-wheelers, rely on lithium-ion batteries for their high energy density. But sodium-ion batteries offer many benefits over traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Sodium is an abundant element on the planet and is easily accessible, unlike lithium, which is concentrated in specific regions and often expensive to extract. This abundance can make sodium-ion batteries cheaper to produce, reducing costs for EV manufacturers and potentially making electric vehicles more affordable.

Lithium mining also has environmental challenges, such as water depletion and habitat destruction. Sodium, on the other hand, can be sourced from seawater or common salts, offering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option.

Sodium-ion batteries are less prone to overheating and thermal runaway compared to lithium-ion batteries. This makes them inherently safer for electric vehicles, reducing the risk of fires and improving consumer confidence in EV technology.

Sodium-ion batteries perform better than lithium-ion in cold climates. Lithium-ion batteries struggle with capacity retention in freezing conditions, but sodium batteries maintain efficiency, making them ideal for EVs in colder regions.

Sodium batteries still have challenges to overcome

While sodium-ion batteries are promising, they currently have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, meaning they store less energy per unit of weight.

For EVs, this translates to shorter driving ranges for the same-sized battery. That’s especially important in electric two-wheelers like motorbikes and electric bicycles, which don’t have much extra space for storing bulky batteries.

However, advancements in cathode materials and battery architecture are quickly closing this gap, which Yadea has demonstrated. These sodium-ion batteries still can’t match the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, but as they continue to improve their energy density, the technology’s other major advantages provide encouraging signs for larger adoption in the industry.

Yadea’s status as a major electric motorbike maker also means that its adoption of sodium-ion battery technology could help lead the entire industry towards this battery chemistry, bringing safety and performance benefits along with it.