The Tesla Influencers Leaving the 'Cult'

"Initially, the company had offered to transfer the Full Self-Driving feature, which is now only available through a subscription model but could once be purchased for a "lifetime" fee that ran as high as $15,000, to any new Tesla purchased by March 31. The deal was most tempting for drivers already enticed by a new base Cybertruck model that cost just $59,990, a price that CEO Elon Musk soon clarified would only last for 10 days."

"Then Tesla quietly amended the language of the FSD transfer agreement, stipulating that customers would need to take delivery of a Tesla by March 31 in order to swap their FSD from their last vehicle to the next. With Tesla's current production backlogs, that meant many people were committed to buying cars that would arrive too late to make the swap."

"On X-which Musk owns and frequently uses, making it a favored social media platform for Tesla enthusiasts-the community was livid. "Tesla still hasn't fixed their blatant FSD Transfer lies for the $59k Cybertruck," fumed the author of an account called The Cybertruck Guy, which is focused on the polarizing steel-paneled EV. "What a pathetic disaster.""

Tesla faced significant customer backlash over a Full Self-Driving transfer promotion that appeared misleading. The company initially offered to transfer FSD features to new vehicles purchased by March 31, coinciding with a limited-time $59,990 Cybertruck price. However, Tesla amended the agreement to require delivery by March 31, not just purchase, creating an impossible timeline for many customers due to production backlogs. The company offered $250 refunds for cancelled orders. Tesla enthusiasts on X expressed outrage, with prominent community members calling the situation a "pathetic disaster." This incident highlights growing tensions between Tesla's marketing practices and customer expectations, threatening the brand's previously strong community support.

Read at WIRED