Tesla Now Includes Estimated Gas Savings In Advertised Cars, Some Don't Like

If you look at Tesla's advertised starting price on its cars on Tesla's website, it now reads, "Model 3 From $29,740 After Federal Tax Credit & Est. Gas Savings."

The inclusion of estimated gas savings in the advertised price might be a bit misleading for some potential buyers. It's important to note that the actual gas savings will depend on various factors, including the individual's driving habits, local electricity and gas prices, and the efficiency of the vehicle. Additionally, not everyone might have easy access to charging infrastructure, which could affect their ability to fully capitalize on the gas savings.

For years Tesla initially presented the “potential savings” price as the default price that was shown. The car buyer would have to slide a tab over to get the actual cost. This was not good for the Tesla representatives who worked the sales floor in the stores because the car buyers viewed it as a "bait and switch," making it a negative aspect of what was otherwise an amazing car buyer journey. Speaking of cost, look at the cost analysis of the Tesla Model Y here.

Tesla’s intentions were good, but the vast majority of EV buyers did not see it that way. After much internal debate and feedback from Tesla enthusiasts, such as X user @daveydo2000, they finally switched it to show the taxable sales amount as the default with the option (tab) to view potential saving.

"Elon Musk, based on years working on the Tesla sales floor, assisting countless customers, I strongly recommend switching back to showing “(actual) purchase price” with the option tab to see potential savings. This is the way," writes user, named @daaveydo2000 on X.

Other people also don't like Tesla's decision.

"Yea I'm not a fan of this, as someone who does not currently own a car, I will not be experiencing any of that gas saving if I were to buy a Tesla... so it is not relevant information at all and only serves to obscure the actual purchase price for me," writes a user, named Bradely.

Others say, if you are considering Tesla prices in that manner, then why not considering all pricing and cost factors? For example, if this is the way to go, Tesla should consider service costs too. Servicing an ICE car is not cheap for sure vs a Tesla.

Though I understand Tesla's point It seems like a false advertisement. You should see how people get mad that Apple shows the starting prices after the activation discount of $30.That’s thousands of dollars difference.

RealKP writes, "Little things matter now this is just something legacy autos would pull at dealership. Not a good look on Tesla to be honest."

However, I saw an interesting comment from an X user named Jon Markman, who wrote, "The perspective on the market is truly insightful. Tesla's integration of gas savings in pricing is a testament to how tech is revolutionizing our financial world. It's a journey worth following closely."

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.