Tesla has announced it is ending it referral program in all markets around the world. However the removal of the program is temporary, and a new version is expected to launch in a few months.
We reported earlier today that Tesla had announced the end of the referral program in Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea. Owners in those countries were notified in a message sent through the mobile app, letting them know that referral credits could still be earned until April 30, 2024, but after that date the program was ending.
On Friday night Tesla confirmed the referral program was ending in all markets, including Canada and the US, but not through the app. In a post by the official Tesla account on the social media platform X, the company said the “current referral program benefits will end after April 30.”
Our current referral program benefits will end after April 30 in all markets
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) April 20, 2024
The specific wording of “current referral program” led to speculation that a new referral program might be coming in its place, and soon after, Musk confirmed just that, saying on X, “…new credits [will] not be earned until we launch a future referral program, which is a few months away.”
So what does this mean if you have some credits sitting in your Loot Box, or are expecting some soon? Not much really. Your credits will be deposited and remain there until their expiry date, and you will continue to be able to redeem them for items through the mobile app. You will also be able to continue to earn referral credits for orders placed before May 1.
The current version of the referral program hasn’t been around for very long, launching in late 2022 in the US, and in mid-2023 in Canada. Instead of earning free Supercharging, the new program allowed owners to earn credits every time someone bought a Tesla with their referral link.
Those credits could then be redeemed and used to purchase vehicle accessories, apparel items, factory tours, tickets to events like the first Cybertruck deliveries, and even software upgrades like Premium Connectivity or Full Self-Driving (FSD).
Buyers also received incentives for using a referral link. Those benefits have changed several times over the course of the current referral program, and have included discounts, credits, and FSD trials.
