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Tesla offering insane perks as sales dry up
Tesla is doing its best to bring people back to its lots.
With sales declining through the first quarter of 2025, Tesla has begun offering advantageous perks to woo would-be buyers. Depending on the model you choose, bonuses range from zero percent interest on loans to a lifetime of free Supercharging.
These perks arrive as celebrities relinquish their EVs in a rebuff of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in the U.S. government, owners are branding their vehicles with “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" stickers, and others have even been setting fire to cars on Tesla lots or opening fire on dealerships. Now more than ever, Tesla’s brand halo is tarnished, possibly beyond repair.
Related: Rivian R1T delivers on this EV feature that Tesla forgot FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
The Cybertruck perks and discounts Tesla is offering
Tesla’s Cybertruck - heralded as a dystopia-proof tank for the everyday driver - is anything but. The widely panned vehicle is a flop, and Tesla is reckoning with existing stock it simply can’t sell. To help entice buyers, Tesla is offering a 1.99 percent interest rate on new Cybertruck orders financed through Tesla.
If you buy a new Cybertruck, you’ll also have the opportunity to get free charging at any Tesla Supercharger for the life of the vehicle or however long you own it. It’s an enticing perk for anyone who still wants a polygonal truck that turns heads for all the wrong reasons.
And remember, you can still get some decent deals on existing Cybertruck inventory. jetcityimage - stock.adobe.com 
Tesla brings back zero percent loans
If you’re willing to apply for a $7,500 federal tax credit on a new Model 3, Tesla is offering zero percent loans for “well qualified” buyers.
If you’re not interested in that tax break, you can still get a 0.99 percent loan if you’re “well qualified,” which typically means a credit score of 700 or better.
Related: 2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line review: Is this the EV that will convert you?
Why is Tesla offering these perks?
Tesla's sales are in serious decline worldwide. In China, Tesla is being outsold by local EV automakers, and sales are down 49 percent. Domestically, Musk’s political efforts have tarnished the Tesla brand dramatically, and there’s much stiffer competition from other automakers heading into Q2 2025.
Tesla sales are also down 76 percent in Germany, 75 percent in Spain, 72 percent in Australia, and 45 percent in Europe as a whole. In the U.S., reports peg Tesla’s sales decline at 11.6 percent year over year.
Final thoughts
To Tesla loyalists, this may feel like a bump in the road. Analysts, pundits, onlookers, and experts disagree, and many think Tesla will not be able to recover from this.
Even if Tesla were to release a new EV that blew the competition away, owning one of their models has become problematic. Their vehicles are a proxy for people’s disdain of Musk and dissatisfaction with the government, which he’s deeply involved in.
The EV market may be a rising tide, but Musk seems to be an anchor keeping Tesla from sailing on.
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