Tesla Australia to launch mobile servicing

Tesla has outlined plans for a free mobile servicing scheme that it hopes will boost the appeal of its all-electric models outside Australia’s major capital cities.

Under the proposal, which motoring.com.au understands will be rolled out in the third quarter of this year, Tesla technicians will travel to the homes or businesses of owners in specially fitted-out vehicles on a scheduled day to perform routine annual maintenance.

Tesla Australia has confirmed the program, which is already available in the US, will cost no more than a regular dealership service – a potential boon for those who live outside of a major capital city or lead a busy life.

A Tesla Australia spokesperson said the scheme would support the US car-maker’s bid for more reach across Australia.

“It’s far easier to fit out a Tesla Model X or Model S than it is to build a new dealership,” the spokesperson said. “It provides better customer service.

“The mobile vehicle will come in handy in places like Perth and South Australia but also locally [in major capitals] when people don’t need to come into the service centre.

“I don’t know how many vehicles we will have on hand in total but I’m sure it will grow over time. I wouldn’t put a cap on it as it’s a significant part of our business moving forward.”

Other than some anomalies including one Darwin-based owner, the bulk of Tesla’s Australian owners are believed to be based in or close to capital cities.

However, that is fast changing with the introduction of the marque’s ‘supercharger’ network.

Tesla already offers a remote servicing scheme out of Perth, where it currently does not have a dealership. Tesla Australia is fitting out a number of service vehicles now, ahead of an estimated September rollout.

“I don’t know where we will be sending the initial vehicles but I would imagine we would have one in [Sydney and Melbourne] to begin with. That would be my guess,” the spokesperson said.

“We will reveal more details once the program is rolled out.”

Tesla Australia’s mobile servicing will be completed by approved technicians who will travel to customers in fit-for-purpose Model S or Model X cars fitted with racks and shelving in place of their normal rear seats.

Tesla effectively offers customers some remote service functions via its ‘over the air’ software updates. The spokesperson said the company latest incentive would bolster that side of the business.

Tesla says the free mobile servicing scheme is financially sustainable in part because it does not operate on profits from aftersales servicing like other manufacturers, but from up-front capital from purchases.

Tesla currently offers an eight-year/160,000km warranty on its vehicles.