Tesla has relaunched its referral program, now called Loyalty Program, for its electric cars rather than just solar products. As part of it, you can now win a Cybertruck.
Tesla doesn’t like to spend on marketing or advertising, and instead, relies on its user base to promote its vehicles and reward them in the process. Or at least, it used to.
At the core of the referral program, new buyers can use referral links from current owners when buying a new Tesla, and each party gets prizes.
The prizes have changed a lot over the years.
At the peak of the program, Tesla was giving away free new Roadsters to owners who accumulated enough referrals.
Tesla didn’t end up killing the program, but it did reduce the prizes to 1,000 free Supercharging miles on both sides of the transaction, though that went away, too. Over the last two years, the only referral incentives left were for solar products.
More recently, Tesla relaunched the referral program as the Loyalty Program, or just “Loot Box” since it is how it appears in its app.
The company changed it so that you now earn credit points when you refer someone or you buy a product with a referral code. Those credit points can then be redeemed for items in Tesla’s store or free Supercharger miles.
Tesla has relaunched the program for electric cars with now new Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X referrals earning points:
Credits earned by referrers and buyers can still be redeemed for free Supercharger miles or items in its online store, but now Tesla also added a Cybertruck raffle.
With 500 credits, you can buy an entry into Tesla’s Cybertruck raffle.
So someone buying a new Tesla Model Y with a referral code right now would get three entries in the Cybertruck raffle or 500 miles of free Supercharging.
But I also argue that Tesla should deliver the Roadster, which was the biggest prize for the previous program. Otherwise, the program doesn’t have as much credibility if you are known for not delivering prizes.
However, I think the Cybertruck is much closer to production than the Roadster. So it is a safer bet.
I won’t spam my referral code, but if I helped you decide to buy a Tesla vehicle or product, you can reach out to me for a referral code at [email protected]
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Now that the new Tesla Model Y Juniper refresh has been fully unveiled and we know all the details, which one do you prefer: the new one or the old Model Y?
We are curious to get your opinion on the new Model Y design. Opinions appear divided as some see the update with the lightbars as played out, while others appreciate the more aggressive look.
What do you think?
Here are comparison images of the new and old Model Y:
Here are also the updated specs and features, but these are objectively almost entirely positive other than the lack of gear shift stalk, maybe, so the poll is obviously more about the design changes:
Feature
Model Y
New Model Y
Starting Price After Est. Savings
$31,490 Available Now
$46,490 Available Starting March
Trims
Long Range RWD Long Range AWD Performance AWD
Launch Series Long Range AWD
Range
277-337 miles (EPA est.)
303-320 miles (est.)
Seating
First row: power recline and heated Second row: manual fold and heated
First row: power recline, heated and ventilated Second row: power two-way folding and heated
BYD’s record-breaking year is paying dividends. Despite its vehicles selling for less than $17,000 on average, BYD topped Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, ranking first in car sales revenue in China last year. After taking the market by storm in 2024, the world’s largest EV maker aims for even more growth this year.
BYD ranked first in car sales revenue in China in 2024
BYD capped off an impressive run in 2024, selling over 500,000 vehicles for its third straight month in December. The year-end sales push bumped BYD’s total passenger car sales to over 4.25 million passenger vehicles last year, up 41% from about 3 million in 2023.
After topping Volkswagen to become China’s largest car maker in 2023, BYD became the country’s largest auto group in October 2024, surpassing SAIC. SAIC has joint ventures with Volkswagen and GM.
Not only is BYD selling more cars than its overseas rivals, it’s also making more on vehicle sales. According to China’s Sina Finance (via CarNewsChina), BYD ranked first among automakers in China in car sales revenue last year.
BYD sold 3.49 million vehicles in China, generating 420.7 billion yuan, or around $58 billion. Mercedes-Benz was second, with 710,000 cars sold for 307.9 billion ($42.5 billion) in revenue.
Volkswagen placed third with 2.1 million vehicles sold in 2024 and 303.2 billion yuan ($41.9 billion) in sales revenue.
The most interesting part is that BYD’s average selling price (ASP) per vehicle was just $16,700 (121,000 yuan), compared to Mercedes-Benz’s $59,500 (430,000 yuan) and Volkswagen’s $19,700 (143,000 yuan).
Ranking
Automaker
Average Vehicle Selling Price (*USD)
Vehicle Sales Revenue (*USD)
1
BYD
$16,700
$58.1 billion
2
Mercedes-Benz
$59,500
$42.5 billion
3
Volkswagen
$19,700
$41.9 billion
4
Toyota
$23,300
$36.7 billion
5
BMW
$46,900
$32.7 billion
6
Tesla
$33,800
$22.3 billion
7
Aito
$55,500
$21.4 billion
8
Li Auto
$42,000
$21.1 billion
9
Honda
$20,800
$17.8 billion
10
Geely
$12,700
$13.2 billion
Top ten automakers by car sales revenue in China for 2024 (Source: CarNewsChina/ Sina Finance)
BYD beat out Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW, and Tesla even with a significantly lower average selling price.
Electrek’s Take
After BYD stopped making fully gas-powered vehicles in 2022, the company has become a force in the auto market. With over 1.76 million EVs sold in 2024, BYD ranked second, slightly behind Tesla, which delivered over 1.78 million vehicles.
Despite this, BYD was the “world’s top EV maker,” beating out Tesla with about 4,500 electric cars produced in 2024.
With China becoming saturated with domestic rivals, BYD is aggressively expanding overseas to drive growth in 2025. Last year, it sold more EVs in Japan than Toyota, and it was BYD’s first full sales year in the country.
BYD was Singapore’s best-selling car brand last year, the first Chinese automaker to achieve this feat. With plans to rapidly expand in Europe, Central and South America, and other key regions, BYD is poised to see even more growth in 2025.
Although it’s best known for low-cost electric cars, like the Seagull, which starts at under $10,000 in China, BYD is quickly expanding its lineup with new pickup trucks, smart SUVs, off-road models, and electric supercars rolling out.
Earlier this month, it launched the world’s largest car carrier, which will ship up to 9,200 vehicles overseas as BYD prepares for another big year in 2025.
Electric bicycle incentive programs have grown considerably over the last few years, and Washington State is one of the most recent to lay the groundwork for yet another program designed to reduce the cost of this alternative transportation for lower-income commuters. But the state is also going about it in a unique way, by using funding raised from its emissions taxes.
That’s right, a new $5 million budget earmarked for electric bicycle rebates in the state is being funded by the state’s emissions taxes as part of the Climate Commitment Act, which received a groundswell of support among voters in the state.
The rebates will range from $300 for those making more than 80% of the area median income to up to $1,200 for lower-income residents.
Applications will take place via a still-in-development online portal system, and the rebates will be honored at the register, meaning riders won’t have to fork over the entire amount and then wait for a reimbursement check or tax rebate.
Unlike other e-bike incentive programs we’ve seen, such as the infamous California state program that was beset with issues from the start, the Washington State e-bike incentives won’t be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, lucky state residents will be randomly selected from the pool of entrants in a lottery-style drawing. However, many of the other details of the program are still being hashed out ahead of final implementation.
E-bike incentive programs like this one have been gaining traction nationwide as policymakers recognize the role electric bicycles can play in expanding transportation access. These programs often specifically target lower-income individuals who may not have the upfront cash to invest in an e-bike, despite the long-term savings they offer.
For many people, car ownership is an expensive burden, with costs for gas, insurance, and maintenance quickly adding up. E-bikes provide a cost-effective alternative, allowing people to commute to work, run errands, and access essential services without the financial strain of owning a car.
Beyond affordability, these programs also help address transportation equity and environmental concerns. Many lower-income neighborhoods have limited public transit options, making daily travel difficult for those without a car.
E-bikes can bridge that gap, providing a reliable and efficient mode of transportation that extends the reach of bus and train networks. Shifting more trips from cars to e-bikes reduces traffic congestion and carbon emissions, contributing to cleaner air and more livable cities.