Tesla Motors Inc. has announced that it is increasing the free towing limit for Model S or Model X car owners to a maximum of 500 miles.
On Wednesday, the Palo Alto-based electric carmaker tweeted that it will offer free towing to up to 500 miles to its nearest service center should the car owner be left stranded on the roadside. Tesla previously offered a maximum of 50 miles for their free towing service for issues that are covered under warranty.
Increasing roadside coverage in NA from 50 to 500 miles for warranty tows. We've got you covered 24/7 https://t.co/eOw2y10fvN
— Tesla Motors (@TeslaMotors) February 23, 2016
The free towing limit covers Tesla's Model X or Model S cars in North America.
The latest move from Tesla aims to earn consumer confidence with the high level of service offered. It is reflective of the fact that Tesla is attempting to aggressively market its services and trying to go above and beyond to offer reassurance to its customers, as well as alleviate any anxieties that may arise due to electric car technology. By extending its support and being proactive, Tesla intends to win customer loyalty.
For those wondering what the complimentary towing for the 500 miles covers:
"For vehicle malfunctions due to warrantable issues, transportation services for the first 500 miles is covered by Tesla; is limited to one tow per incident; and does not cover transportation due to issues not covered by the warranty," notes Tesla's revised Roadside Assistance policy.
The warranty from Tesla covers the drive unit and the battery pack.
While 500 miles of free towing is better than the 50 miles Tesla initially offered its customers, this figure pales when compared to what other carmakers offer. To illustrate, Hyundai and Dodge have roadside assistance programs that include towing the vehicle to the closest located dealership irrespective of distance.
Mercedes tows its cars for free to an authorized dealer in the event the owner wants the vehicle repaired there. However, if one does not choose to get the vehicle repaired at the dealer's then the owner needs to shell out $150 for towing.
Interestingly, Tesla's announcement only covers its Model X and Model S cars in North America. The carmaker has not disclosed if the roadside assistance program will also be extended to Model X or Model S owners who are overseas. Currently, in most parts of Europe, Tesla is offering only 50 miles of free towing to customers.
