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Tesla’s vehicle reliability makes way for as-needed service, no annual maintenance needed
Tesla will no longer be offering an extended maintenance plan in favor of specific service recommendations on an as-needed basis.
Having analyzed billions of miles of real-world driving data from its worldwide fleet of vehicles, combined with internal engineering studies on vehicle reliability, durability, and safety, the electric carmaker found that there was less of a need for customers to bring their vehicles in for annual service when, in many instances, the vehicle did not require maintenance like a traditional gasoline car would.
In place of an annual maintenance checklist, Tesla owners will only need to bring their cars in for service when there’s a service need on a specific component at a specific interval. This will enable cars to stay on roads for longer periods of time.
Along with reducing servicing requirements for Model S, Model 3, and Model X vehicles, this change will effectively end the purchase of optional 3 and 4-year Maintenance Plans.
The all-electric car maker originally recommended a multi-point inspection every 12 months or 12,500 miles, but long-term data has now demonstrated most of the items are unnecessary thanks to advantages to electric vehicles.
The annual scheduled maintenance previously recommended included a bumper to bumper, roof to wheel inspection. Vehicle logs and alerts were examined, consumables such as wiper blades, key fob batteries, and air filters were inspected, among other common vehicle inspection items.
Under Tesla’s maintenance recommendations, the following are now suggested:
- Cabin Air Filter
- High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter
- Tire Rotation, Balance and Wheel Alignment
- Brake Fluid Test
- Air Conditioning Service
- Winter Care
According to the Frequently Asked Questions section of Tesla’s Car Maintenance page:
Does my car require an annual maintenance service?
Your Tesla does not require annual maintenance and regular fluid changes. Please check your Owner’s Manual for latest maintenance recommendations for your Tesla.
Do I have to take my car to a Tesla Service Center?
With over-the-air software updates, remote diagnostics and the support of our Mobile Service technicians, the need to visit a Service Center is reduced. If your car does require service, you can schedule a service appointment in the Tesla app or your Tesla Account. If you choose to take your car to a non-Tesla shop for maintenance or repairs, coverage under your warranty could be affected if any problems occur.
Updating manufacturer maintenance recommendations with the customer in mind are one of the ways Tesla has demonstrated its commitment to improving its service experience. Owners have noted areas needing improvement in the electric vehicle manufacturer’s service recently, although their vehicles are well-loved in general.
Tesla has taken note of this weak spot and has been rolling out initiatives to improve its customer experience including opening in-house body shops and live status updates while their vehicles are being serviced. Similarly, because all of Tesla’s vehicles are connected, vehicle service logs are used to troubleshoot and identify customer concerns before a car is brought in for service.
As the $35,000 Model 3 Standard Range continues its roll out and the coming Model Y expected to be even more popular drawing near, shoring up the service side of Tesla’s ownership experience is a step in the right direction. Eliminating unnecessary check ups could have a positive impact on customer wait time thanks to freer service center schedules; regardless, keeping customers in their cars rather than waiting to be inside them is a good place to be overall.
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Armored Tesla Cybertruck “War Machine” debuts at Defense Expo 2025
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Tesla Megapacks chosen for 548 MWh energy storage project in Japan
Tesla plans to supply over 100 Megapack units to support a large stationary storage project in Japan, making it one of the country’s largest energy storage facilities.
Tesla’s Megapack grid-scale batteries have been selected to back an energy storage project in Japan, coming as the latest of the company’s continued deployment of the hardware.
As detailed in a report from Nikkei this week, Tesla plans to supply 142 Megapack units to support a 548 MWh storage project in Japan, set to become one of the country’s largest energy storage facilities. The project is being overseen by financial firm Orix, and it will be located at a facility Maibara in central Japan’s Shiga prefecture, and it aims to come online in early 2027.
The deal is just the latest of several Megapack deployments over the past few years, as the company continues to ramp production of the units. Tesla currently produces the Megapack at a facility in Lathrop, California, though the company also recently completed construction on its second so-called “Megafactory” in Shanghai China and is expected to begin production in the coming weeks.
READ MORE ON TESLA MEGAPACKS: Tesla Megapacks help power battery supplier Panasonic’s Kyoto test site
Tesla’s production of the Megapack has been ramping up at the Lathrop facility since initially opening in 2022, and both this site and the Shanghai Megafactory are aiming to eventually reach a volume production of 10,000 Megapack units per year. The company surpassed its 10,000th Megapack unit produced at Lathrop in November.
During Tesla’s Q4 earnings call last week, CEO Elon Musk also said that the company is looking to construct a third Megafactory, though he did not disclose where.
Last year, Tesla Energy also had record deployments of its Megapack and Powerwall home batteries with a total of 31.4 GWh of energy products deployed for a 114-percent increase from 2023.
Other recently deployed or announced Megapack projects include a massive 600 MW/1,600 MWh facility in Melbourne, a 75 MW/300 MWh energy storage site in Belgium, and a 228 MW/912 MWh storage project in Chile, along with many others still.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
Tesla highlights the Megapack site replacing Hawaii’s last coal plant
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Elon Musk responds to Ontario canceling $100M Starlink deal amid tariff drama
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said, opens new tab on February 3 that he was “ripping up” his province’s CA$100 million agreement with Starlink in response to the U.S. imposing tariffs on Canadian goods.
Elon Musk company SpaceX is set to lose a $100 million deal with the Canadian province of Ontario following a response to the Trump administration’s decision to apply 25 percent tariffs to the country.
Starlink, a satellite-based internet service launched by the Musk entity SpaceX, will lose a $100 million deal it had with Ontario, Premier Doug Ford announced today.
Starting today and until U.S. tariffs are removed, Ontario is banning American companies from provincial contracts.
Every year, the Ontario government and its agencies spend $30 billion on procurement, alongside our $200 billion plan to build Ontario. U.S.-based businesses will…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 3, 2025
Ford said on X today that Ontario is banning American companies from provincial contracts:
“We’ll be ripping up the province’s contract with Starlink. Ontario won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy. Canada didn’t start this fight with the U.S., but you better believe we’re ready to win it.”
It is a blow to the citizens of the province more than anything, as the Starlink internet constellation has provided people in rural areas across the globe stable and reliable access for several years.
Musk responded in simple terms, stating, “Oh well.”
Oh well https://t.co/1jpMu55T6s
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2025
It seems Musk is less than enthused about the fact that Starlink is being eliminated from the province, but it does not seem like all that big of a blow either.
As previously mentioned, this impacts citizens more than Starlink itself, which has established itself as a main player in reliable internet access. Starlink has signed several contracts with various airlines and maritime companies.
It is also expanding to new territories across the globe on an almost daily basis.
With Mexico already working to avoid the tariff situation with the United States, it will be interesting to see if Canada does the same.
The two have shared a pleasant relationship, but President Trump is putting his foot down in terms of what comes across the border, which could impact Americans in the short term.
Armored Tesla Cybertruck “War Machine” debuts at Defense Expo 2025
Tesla Megapacks chosen for 548 MWh energy storage project in Japan
