Tesla is pulling heavy financing weaponry in end-of-quarter push

Tesla has pulled the heavy weaponry when it comes to financing to boost sales during its regular end-of-quarter push.

Tesla has regularly introduced price cuts and incentives at the end of every quarter in order to boost sales and lower inventory.

It helps quarterly financial results look better as Tesla has already spent the money to build those vehicles and if they are not delivered by the end of the quarter, they end up in its “inventory” without generating any revenue.

Recently, Tesla introduced, or reintroduced, incentives across its entire EV lineup except for the Cybertruck.

For example, the automaker implemented a new referral program, which basically result in a $1,000 discount on new cars.

Lately, Tesla has been subsidizing financing on its vehicles as a incentive.

Now, the automaker has introduced zero down payment on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, which can be combined with much lower APR:

If you put an ‘excellent’ credit rating in Tesla’s online configurator, you get a 5.59% interest rate, but if you choose the new “promotion” credit rating, Tesla is offering 0$ down payment and APR at 2.49%.

With a small down payment, you can get the rate down to 1.99%.

The promotion is running until September 30, which coincides with the end of the quarter.

Electrek’s Take

This might be Tesla’s biggest promotion of the year. Compared to current interest rates, 2% is basically free money and the fact that nothing is due at delivery should attract a lot of people.

I would expect that it will help Tesla clear its US inventory this quarter.

However, as we have previously reported, sales are flat in China and way down in Europe.

Therefore, it is still unclear if Tesla can grow sales this quarter. The automaker delivered 444,000 vehicles last quarter and 435,000 vehicles in Q3 2023.

Tesla is currently tracking to have its first year with a reduction in EV deliveries in a decade.

Investors will also be tracking profit margins as this new referral program and the subsidizing of financing should negatively impact margins.