Yesterday was a big news day for Tesla, with several things hitting the newsfeed all at once. A lot of new stuff for Canadians, who are all quite pleased to see the return of the referral program to Canada, as well as 1.99% Financing for the Model Y.
There’s also some interesting news on the Actually Smart Summon front.
Canadian Referrals
The Tesla Referral Program, which recently launched in the United States, has now arrived in Canada just a few short days later. There aren’t any differences in terms of reward availability or anything else, but there are some conversions of funds to look at.
Referrers in Canada will earn $650 CAD ($480 USD) per referral while providing a discount of $1300 ($964 USD) CAD for those being referred. That’s slightly less than the USD equivalent, but that’s just the conversion rate fluctuation.
We’re happy to see the referral system launch in Canada so quickly after it launched in the United States – this is also good news for other markets like Europe and China, which may also get similar programs soon.
1.99% Financing in Canada
Another big win for Canadian Tesla customers is the arrival of 1.99% financing for the Model Y in Canada. For those who have been waiting on the edge to get a good deal to buy a Model Y, now is your chance.
1.99% financing is available for all terms of 60 months and under. 72 months has a special term of 2.99%, 84 months at 3.49%, and 96 months at 3.99%. This is a huge bonus in comparison to other rates, which have regularly been at or above 5% for all interest rate terms in Canada.
These special financing terms are only available on the Model Y but are available on any variant, including the Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, and Performance models.
Smart Summon Code
The last item, but one of the most exciting nevertheless, is that new Smart Summon code strings have appeared in the latest version of the Tesla app. One of the most important things that was noticed by @Tesla_App_iOS on X was that there are no new debugging strings – meaning we could be receiving Actually Smart Summon in a beta format sometime soon.
In addition, the app contains new strings such as “autopark_summon_reversing_for_forward_visibility”, which may be tied to the upcoming reverse capabilities of FSD.
We expect the new version of Summon to be first available in an upcoming FSD release, such as FSD 12.6 in the next few months.
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Tesla and Uber are partnering to offer a new discount for Uber drivers. The offer is similar to one that was offered earlier in the year. Uber and Tesla previously offered a $2,000 USD purchase incentive under a special Uber referral code. That offer ended in March, and Tesla is now offering a new, similar offer.
Both the previous incentive as well as this new offer are only available in the United States.
Offer Conditions
The new offer is simple: If you’re an Uber Driver, you’ll be able to get $1,000 in Tesla credits upon taking delivery and another $1,000 in Uber Cash after completing 100 rideshare trips. You’ll need to purchase either a new Model 3 or Model Y—any variant, including the Performance versions, is acceptable. The program is not available for used or demo vehicles.
For anyone interested in trying out being an Uber driver, this is also a nice way to get $2,000 off a new Tesla. While the discount is no longer a purchase incentive, you can use the $1,000 in Tesla credits towards accessories, service, Supercharging, swag, or another vehicle. The Uber Cash, on the other hand, will be paid out alongside your 100th trip.
The offer is combinable with the Military Purchase Program, but you can’t use the Tesla referral program to get $500 off. If you’ve already got referral credits, though, you can use them toward the purchase of the vehicle.
Finally, you’ll need to take delivery before the end of the year (December 31st) and complete your 100th trip before February 15, 2025.
How to Use It
To take advantage of the offer, go to Tesla’s Uber page and log in via Uber. Both companies will verify that you’re eligible for the discount. You’ll also have to be in good standing as an Uber driver - if you’re not, no discount.
Tesla has released updated specifications and a revised timeline for the Cybertruck’s Range Extender. Originally launched alongside the Cybertruck last year, the Range Extender offered a significant boost in range along with a notable price tag—requiring a $2,000 reservation deposit and an estimated price of $16,000.
Updated Specs
Tesla has updated the Ranger Extender's range, now increasing the vehicle’s range from 340 miles to 445 miles on the Dual Motor variant and from 320 miles to 440 miles on the Cyberbeast.
The updated specifications reduce the vehicle’s total range with the Range Extender by about 6% compared to the original specs, while the Range Extender itself sees a 20% reduction in range. This is a substantial reduction, and Tesla has yet to explain the change. It’s likely that they’ve started testing Cybertrucks with Range Extenders under EPA test conditions, which may have adjusted the initial range estimates.
Truck
Range
Original Range Extender
Updated Range Extender
Dual Motor AWD
325 mi
470 mi
445 mi +
Cyberbeast
301 mi
440 mi
415 mi +
Delayed Timeline
The Range Extender was originally supposed to be available for those who pre-ordered sometime in early-2025. That timeline has now been pushed back to mid-2025. However, given Tesla’s lackluster attempts at maintaining timelines, we could fully expect this timeline to continue to slip closer to 2026, but we remain hopeful that it’ll arrive on time.
Tesla has been working towards perfecting its dry-cathode process, which could also be a likely cause of the delays. Tesla may want to ship the Range Extenders as dry-cathode—it's a small batch product and one that’s easier to replace or repair than an entire truck.
Overall, the Range Extender itself is an interesting item. While it does provide a small range increase—one that’s necessary for towing—it has its fair share of demerits. It takes up a considerable amount of bed space and must be installed and uninstalled by Tesla Service. Additionally, the weight in the bed will result in a change in the center of gravity.
We’re interested to see what Tesla does with the Range Extender - we’ve only seen a few pictures of engineering samples on Tesla’s site, but it could come with considerable changes when it launches.
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