Vehicle servicing
Tesla’s strategy is to service its vehicles first through remote diagnosis and repair. If it is not possible to resolve a problem remotely, a mobile technician is dispatched or customers are referred to a local Tesla-owned service center.[101][102] Tesla has said that it does not want to make a profit on vehicle servicing, which has traditionally been a large profit center for most auto dealerships.[103]
In 2016, Tesla recommended having any Tesla car inspected every 12,500 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. In early 2019, the manual was changed to say: "your Tesla does not require annual maintenance and regular fluid changes," and instead it recommends periodic servicing of the brake fluid, air conditioning, tires and air filters.[104]
Charging services
Supercharger network
Main article: Tesla Supercharger
Supercharger is the branding used by Tesla for its high-voltage direct current fast chargers.
Tesla Supercharger station (V2) 150kW in Onalaska, Wisconsin
The Supercharger network was introduced on September 24, 2012, as the Tesla Model S entered production, with six sites in California, Nevada, and Arizona. As of January 2024, Tesla operates a network of 6,000 Supercharger stations with nearly 55,000 connectors. The stations are primarily deployed in three regions: Asia Pacific (over 2,400), North America (over 2,300), and Europe (over 1,100). Superchargers supply electric power at between 72 kilowatts (kW) and 250 kW, with the maximum amount increasing over the years as the company improves its technology.
Destination charging location network
"Destination Charger" in North America
Tesla also has a network of "Destination Chargers," slower than Superchargers and intended for locations where customers are expected to park and stay for several hours, such as hotels, restaurants, or shopping centers. Unlike the Supercharger network, Tesla does not own the destination chargers, instead, property owners set up the devices and set pricing.[105] When the network first launched in 2014, Tesla provided free charging equipment and covered installation costs.[106] One of the largest providers is hotel chain Hilton Worldwide which in 2023 announced an agreement with Tesla to install 20,000 chargers across 2,000 of its properties in North America by 2025.[107]
Insurance services
Tesla has offered its own vehicle insurance in the United States since 2017 and has been acting as an independent insurance producer since 2021 as Tesla Insurance Services, Inc. It was introduced after the American Automobile Association (AAA), a major insurance carrier, raised rates for Tesla owners in June 2017 after a report concluded that the automakers vehicles crashed more often and were more expensive to repair than comparable vehicles.[108] A study in 2018 based on data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety confirmed the findings.[109]
The company says that it uniquely understands its vehicles, technology and repair costs, and can eliminate traditional insurance carriers' additional charges.[110] In states where allowed, the company uses individual vehicle data to offer personalized pricing that can increase or decrease in cost based on the prior month's driving safety score.[111]
As of January 2023, Tesla offers insurance in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Virginia.[112] The company also offers insurance for Tesla vehicle owners with non-Tesla vehicles.[110]
