Tesla no longer offers free lifetime Standard Connectivity for new vehicles. From now, free connectivity will only be available for eight years.
Tesla no longer offers free lifetime Standard Connectivity for new vehicle purchases. The change comes three years after the company introduced its Premium Connectivity package, which is available as an optional extra for all cars purchased on or after July 1, 2018. As part of the plan, Tesla requires owners to pay an additional fee of $10 per month if they want more connected features in their car even as the Standard package continues to offer free security updates and other basic features. However, despite introducing the Premium package, Tesla still promised free lifetime Standard Connectivity features for all new cars, until now.
Tesla is one of the largest electric carmakers in the world, selling more than 936,000 cars last year. The company held the number 1 position in the industry until recently when Chinese auto major BYD surpassed it to become the world’s largest EV manufacturer by volume. However, that doesn’t mean the American EV-maker is seeing lower demand. In fact, the company recently announced that it delivered more than 250,000 vehicles during the second quarter of this year as electric car sales keep soaring amid rising gas prices and increased environmental concerns.
Also Check: Amazfit Band 7 Vs Garmin Vivosmart 5: Should You Spend $50 Or $150?
Tesla is no longer offering free lifetime access to Standard Connectivity features for new vehicle purchases. Instead, the basic connectivity features will now only be free for eight years, after which, owners will have to pay a subscription fee for it. According to an official Tesla support page on connectivity, the policy comes into effect for all vehicles ordered after July 20, 2022. There are no changes to the Premium Connectivity package, as it remains available for a monthly subscription fee for all four models.
Standard Connectivity As An Optional Extra
The Standard Connectivity package has always been available for free to all Tesla vehicles and includes a slew of basic connectivity features, such as satellite navigation, Bluetooth, USB playback, and FM radio. For Tesla owners in North America, the package also includes SiriusXM satellite radio. Tesla doesn’t say whether it will intentionally handicap cars after eight years by removing features like Bluetooth, USB playback and FM radio, but the one feature that will definitely become unavailable after the free Standard Connectivity period is satellite navigation.
Also Check: DAOs And Why They Are An Important Part Of The Blockchain
The latest blow to Tesla owners comes exactly nine months after the company reduced its Premium Connectivity trial period from a generous one year to just 30 days for the Model 3 and Model Y. Following the change, folks buying the two lower-priced cars in the company’s lineup will have to start paying the monthly subscription charges sooner if they want to retain access to some of Tesla’s Premium Connectivity features. However, Tesla’s Model S and Model X still get a year of the free trial before their owners have to pay for the premium features.
