Tesla plans to start fining customers who resell their used cars tens of thousands of dollars for a rather unusual reason.
Earlier this year, the electric car maker led by Elon Musk announced it would stop producing the Model S and Model X to focus on the production of the Model Y and Model 3.
According to Musk, this production cut would allow the company to focus even more on its primary goal moving forward: its robotaxi fleet and the production of humanoid robots, shifting Tesla’s focus toward “autonomy.”
However, before completely ending production of the two iconic vehicles, Tesla decided to release special editions of the cars to give them a proper farewell. That’s how the Signature Editions for both models came to be.
According to Motortrend, Tesla will produce 350 Signature Editions, featuring gold badges and exclusive logos, along with other cosmetic touches. The Model S will have 250 Signature models, while the Model X will have the remaining 100.
However, Tesla has set some conditions for those who want to own one of these special cars. First, only customers directly invited by the manufacturer will be able to purchase a Signature Edition. In other words, you’ll need to be lucky enough to receive an invitation.
The company is also implementing measures to prevent the cars from entering the resale market, requiring owners to sign an agreement stating they cannot sell the vehicle within the first year of ownership—unless they are willing to pay a hefty fine.
According to Not A Tesla App, a Signature Edition owner who attempts to resell their car within the first 12 months after purchase could face a staggering $50,000 fine imposed by Tesla.
At the same time, Car Expert reported that, in addition to the fine, it is speculated that owners who try to resell a Signature Edition could be placed on a company blacklist, preventing them from purchasing any future Tesla vehicles.
If an owner still wishes to proceed with selling their Signature model, the site also stated that Tesla will deduct $0.25 per mile driven, along with reasonable wear-and-tear costs, from the original price.
If Tesla approves the resale but decides not to buy the vehicle back, owners will have the option to sell it through a third-party provider, but only after obtaining “written consent” from the company.
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
