September 2023 – The Tesla referral program is continually being updated by Tesla as they make adjustments to incentivize the purchase of certain products in order to meet their business objectives. Listed below are the most recent updates. If you’re looking for a Tesla referral code, feel free to use the one mentioned below.
Telsa Referral Program Updates
July 2023 Program Update – Tesla updated the Tesla Referral Program to boost the incentives behind the Model 3 and Model Y. Now, those looking to buy a new Model 3 Highland or new Model Y using a referral code earn $500 off the purchase and 3 months of free Full Self Driving (FSD). Referrers will now earn 10,000 credits when referring to either vehicle.
Tesla Referral Program Background
Tesla’s Referral Program is designed to reward Tesla owners and new customers who participate in promoting the brand through referrals. Elon Musk has famously relied on driving word-of-mouth instead of paid advertising to promote its electric vehicles.
The Tesla Referral Program has been through various iterations since its inception. The previous referral program provided substantial incentives such as free Tesla PowerWall home storage batteries and even a Tesla Roadster for individuals who amassed enough referrals. However, the rewards gradually decreased, and in 2021, Tesla electric cars were removed from the program entirely. The focus shifted to referrals for solar roof and solar power system purchases, with points earned redeemable for Tesla merchandise or free Supercharging.
New Tesla Referral Program = Credits & Prizes
In a recent update, Tesla reinstated Tesla vehicle purchases into the referral program. Now, both Tesla car and solar system owners can refer others to Tesla. Both the referrer and the buyer earn points or “Reward Credits” with the purchase of a Tesla solar power system or a Tesla car. This system effectively allows the referrer to monetize their brand loyalty and enthusiasm, and for the buyer, it’s akin to receiving a discount on their Tesla purchase, albeit in the form of Tesla merchandise.
Tesla has also introduced different incentives for referrers and buyers (except for solar panels and solar roofs), with referrers earning more points than buyers. The introduction of “Loyalty Credits” is another feature, providing extra points to existing customers who make new purchases. As part of the program, the automaker offers a wide selection of accessories, branded apparel, and Supercharging credits.
The Loot Box
A new referral program feature is the Loot Box accessible via the Tesla app, where customers can view their credit balance, shop for awards, and share their referral link with friends and family.
Existing Tesla owners can automatically earn Loyalty Credits when purchasing additional Tesla products using the same Tesla Account, without the need for a referral code or link. Moreover, credits can be redeemed for awards directly in the Loot Box of the Tesla app, and all credit redemptions are final, with no returns or exchanges accepted.
The Tesla Referral Program is a dynamic entity subject to change. Credits must be redeemed within 12 months of their Grant Date, or they will expire, and Supercharging miles expire 6 months from their respective Grant Dates. If additional credits are earned, the expiration date for all credits will be extended by 12 months from the most recent Grant Date
Earn Credits – How it Works
NEW BUYERS: Order Online Using a Referral Code
If you’re ordering a new Tesla vehicle, like a new Tesla Model Y or solar panels, the easiest way to earn credits is by ordering online, directly from the Tesla Website, using a referral code like the one below.
Use a referral code like this one to order directly online:
New Buyer Credits: Here’s what you’ll get as a buyer of a new Tesla product:
| Tesla Model 3 | $500 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Model Y | $500 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Model S | $1,000 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Model X | $1,000 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Solar Panels | $500 off |
| Tesla Solar Roof | $500 off |
TESLA OWNERS – Refer a Friend Using Your Code
Tesla has made the process of referring a friend who wants to buy a new Tesla model fairly straightforward. Here are the steps:
- Go to your Loot Box located in the Tesla app.
- Tap ‘Refer.’
- From your list of contacts, select the friend you’d like to refer and send the referral message. You can also tap the share icon in the upper-right corner to send your referral link.
- After your friend places an order, credits will appear as ‘pending’ in your Loot Box until the Grant Date.
Referrer Credits: As a referrer, here’s how many credits you’ll earn. Buyers will receive the Buyer’s Credits shown above.
| Tesla Model 3 | 10,000 Credits |
| Tesla Model Y | 10,000 Credits |
| Tesla Model S | 20,000 Credits |
| Tesla Model X | 20,000 Credits |
| Tesla Solar Panels | 9,000 Credits |
| Tesla Solar Roof | 9,000 Credits |
TESLA OWNERS – Refer Yourself and Earn Loyalty Credits
Already a Tesla owner? Earn credits as a Tesla owner when you purchase additional Tesla products.
- Go to your Loot Box located in the Tesla app.
- Tap ‘Loyalty’ on the Credits screen to view qualifying products.
- Purchase the Tesla product of your choice using the email associated with your existing Tesla products.
- After you place the order, credits will automatically appear as ‘pending’ in your Loot Box until the Grant Date.
Tesla also rewards existing owners with Loyalty Credits when they purchase additional qualifying Tesla products using the same Tesla Account. Loyalty Credits are automatically granted — there is no referral code or link needed.
Loyalty Credits: The credit values for Loyalty Credits (for existing Tesla customers buying Tesla Cars or Solar Systems) are:
| Tesla Model 3 | $500 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Model Y | $500 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Model S | $1,000 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Model X | $1,000 off, 3 mo. free FSD |
| Tesla Solar Panels | $500 off |
| Tesla Solar Roof | $500 off |
Redeem Credits – Tesla Referral Prizes
Overview
The credits earned can be redeemed for various referral awards, some of which you can typically find in the Tesla Store. Here’s how to shop with credits:
- Go to your Loot Box located in the Tesla app.
- Tap ‘Redeem.’
- View the available awards and the number of credits needed to claim each award.
- Select your award.
- Tap ‘Redeem.’
- Enter your shipping address and review your remaining credit balance upon redemption.
- Tap ‘Redeem Credits’ to claim your award.
It’s important to note that all credit redemptions are final, and no returns or exchanges are accepted. Credits can only be redeemed for awards in the Loot Box of the Tesla app. Credits cannot be used to purchase merchandise or accessories on Tesla Shop, nor can they be applied to any other Tesla product or service.
Tesla Referral Prizes
As of mid-2023, here are example prizes you can claim from the Tesla Referral Program and the number of points needed for each:
| Full Self Driving | 120,000 credits |
| Enhanced Autopilot | 55,000 credits |
| Tesla wall connector | 5,500 credits |
| Tesla CCS combo charging adapter | 4,000 credits |
| Tesla roof rack (for S, Y, and 3) | 8,500 credits |
| 2,000 miles of Supercharging | 4,800 credits |
| 500 miles of Supercharging | 1,500 credits |
| Cybertruck Raffle Entry | 500 credits each |
Please note that Reward Credits expire 12 months after the “Grant Date,” which is the date a referred Tesla car is delivered or a referred solar power system is activated. However, if a customer refers an additional sale within that twelve-month period, then all Tesla Reward Credits in the account will be extended for 12 months from the new Grant Date. If a customer cashes in Reward Credits for Supercharger miles, those miles expire six months from purchase.
Also, the actual credit that you get from “1,000 miles of free supercharging” is 400 kWh of electricity. The current average cost of Superchargers in the United States is approximately $0.25 (25 cents) per kWh, though this varies in different parts of the country. In California, it can be as much as $0.50/kWh or more. So the cash value of each 1,000 “miles” of supercharging is somewhere between $100 and $200, depending on where you charge, the charger, and connectivity. This means 2,000 miles of free supercharging (which would cost you 4,800 points in the referral program) is worth $200-$400.
Tesla also occasionally adds in special prizes, as they did for the Cybertruck delivery event which you could redeem for 30,000 referral credits:
Explore Your Loot Box
Your Loot Box in the Tesla app contains information about the referral program and your referral activity.
The Loot Box sections include:
- Referral links
- Qualifying Tesla Products for the Referral Program
- Loot Box shop with available awards
- Referral history
- Credit history
- Expiration dates
Your credits expire 12 months and Supercharging miles expire 6 months from their respective Grant Dates. If you earn additional credits, the expiration date for all of your credits will be extended by 12 months from the most recent Grant Date. If you redeem credits for additional Supercharging miles, the expiration date for all of your Supercharging miles will be extended by 6 months, up to 36 months.
Free Tesla Supercharging
Supercharging is one of the most popular prizes in the Tesla referral program. Most owners plug in their electric vehicles at home overnight to charge the batteries inside the Tesla vehicle. Charging from home could take hours. Supercharging stations have special technology built into the charger that uses fast charging to complete a charge in about thirty minutes to an hour.
Tesla has an infrastructure of over 4,000 Supercharging stations and a total of nearly 40,000 Supercharging units across the United States and Canada. This network of charging stations is strategically located along interstate highways for cross-country travel and in busy urban centers. The idea is that Tesla owners can recharge their electric cars at any point for long-distance travel. As you can imagine, there is a large concentration of Supercharging stations in California and along the Northeast Corridor between Washington D.C. and Boston where there are large populations of people.
Normally, you’ll pay a market rate for electricity plus a small Tesla markup, for example in California you’ll pay around 26 cents per kilowatt-hour for charging. Tesla estimates that this cost comes to $90 to drive 1,500 miles versus $195 when getting 21 MPG at $2.73 per gallon of gasoline. Tesla even has a handy trip planner to make sure your car never runs out of power.
For more information see how much it costs to charge a Tesla.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Tesla still has a referral program. With the Tesla referral program, any owner of a Tesla vehicle or Tesla solar panel system can share a unique Tesla referral code or referral link with prospective Tesla buyers. If a buyer uses this referral link or code to purchase or lease a Tesla Model S, Model 3, Model X, or Model Y, then both the buyer and the referrer get a reward or bonus. The rewards are based on credits that can be redeemed for free Supercharging or ordering Tesla Merchandise.
The Tesla referral program has had a long history. The first incarnation in 2015 offered massive incentives like the ability to earn free Tesla Power Wall home storage batteries and even a Tesla Roadster if you had enough referrals. Over time the rewards dwindled and Tesla car purchases were eliminated from the program entirely in 2021. In 2023, Tesla started referring to this aspect of the referral program as their “Loyalty Program”. On Friday, May 12, 2023, Tesla expanded the referral program to include cars again and posted the rewards Tesla car and solar power system buyers and referrers can expect to receive in the new program.
Tesla announced the end of the Referral program for electric vehicles and solar panels as of September 18, 2021. For many years, the program was a kind of promotion to boost sales. Over time as demand increased beyond capacity, Tesla car purchases were eliminated from the program entirely in 2021. Most recently, the Tesla referral program earned you points for solar roof and solar power system purchase referrals, and these points could be used for Tesla merchandise or for free Supercharging. In May 2023, Tesla relaunched the referral program as a “Loyalty Program” with credits and prizes.
The Tesla Referral Program allows you to earn Supercharging credits when you refer a friend or make additional purchases as an existing Tesla owner. To refer a friend, share your referral link from the Loot Box in the Tesla app. After your friend purchases a Tesla product using your link, credits will appear as ‘pending’ in your Loot Box until the Grant Date. As an existing Tesla owner, you automatically earn Loyalty Credits when you purchase additional qualifying Tesla products using the same Tesla Account. These credits also appear as ‘pending’ in your Loot Box until the Grant Date. To redeem credits, visit your Loot Box, select your award, and tap ‘Redeem Credits’. Credits expire 12 months from their Grant Date, while Supercharging miles expire 6 months from their Grant Date, both can be extended by earning additional credits or redeeming them for Supercharging miles
There are several reasons why Tesla created its referral program. The program gave owners incentives to talk to one another and spread the word about Tesla’s vehicles. The program also encouraged more people to purchase more vehicles sooner rather than later to help Tesla grow quickly. Tesla is a more modern company versus entrenched competitors and does not run traditional advertising and primarily drives sales through happy customers and word-of-mouth.
The credits earned through the Tesla Referral Program typically have a value between $0.05 and $0.21. The exact worth of these credits can vary based on the specific Tesla product you choose to redeem them for. This is because some Tesla products have higher profit margins and business priorities, which results in different credit values.
Everyone Wins
Tesla’s referral program for free Supercharging generates excitement for the brand while giving new and existing owners incentives to help generate sales for Tesla and remove gas-powered vehicles from the road. Free Supercharging works for new owners because it saves them money while traveling long distances. Existing owners who give out their codes here or on Reddit get in on new and exclusive Tesla offerings found nowhere else.
No matter who plugs into this system, there are winners all around. Tesla sells more vehicles and has the opportunity to invest more money in its Supercharger network. New owners save money on gas and vehicle maintenance, get to use the wonderful Tesla Autopilot system and existing owners get bragging rights with new merchandise and financial incentives. The global environment sees fewer carbon emissions to help combat global warming, which means the whole world wins with more Tesla cars on the road.
Wrapping Up
In summary, Tesla’s Referral Program has seen various iterations over the years, each providing unique incentives for Tesla owners to spread the word about Tesla’s products. The current program, with its Loot Box and credit system, continues this tradition, making it an engaging and rewarding experience for the Tesla community.
Need a valid code? To help our readers out, we rotate valid codes from our friends and family here: