Tesla introduces eight-year warranty

TESLA has announced that its all-electric Model S sedan and Model X SUV will now be offered with an eight-year/160,000km warranty for electrical and mechanical defects, to go with its existing eight-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery and drive unit.

The announcement means that Tesla is the only manufacturer in Australia to offer an eight-year warranty for its vehicles, topping the seven-year offering from Kia.

While Tesla wins out for length of time, Kia still comes up trumps for distance with an unlimited kilometre offering.

The warranty also comes with eight years of roadside assistance, including flat tyre repair.

An eight-year warranty means that Tesla has doubled the length of its previous warranty, which covered four years/80,000km.

According to the American car-maker, the decision to bolster the warranty was due to “Tesla’s belief that its electric vehicle is fundamentally more reliable than petrol engine vehicles, ensuring there is absolutely no compromise for the owner.”

Tesla believes the new warranty can increase the time of vehicle ownership compared to buyers’ previous vehicles, especially when combined with the over-the-air software updates that it says continually improves the vehicle.

The warranty carries over to the new owner if the vehicle is sold while still under warranty, which Tesla says will increase the residual value of the car.

Australian Model S examples currently hold around 75 per cent of their residual value after two years.

Those who choose not to get their vehicle serviced over the recommended 12 months/20,000km intervals will not have their warranty voided under the new arrangement.

If a customer purchased their Model S or Model X before March 30, 2018 when the new warranty came into place, then an extended warranty can be purchased that covers an additional four years or 80,000km.