Fleet buyers usually get a better price than individuals because of the large volumes they purchase, but Tesla is offering deeper discounts to some European leasing companies after previous price cuts caused a significant decrease in the values of their vehicles. That, plus expensive repairs, have driven a wedge between the American automaker and its partners on the old continent.
Tesla will give discounts (unofficially, of course) to fleet buyers if vehicles are in stock, and the automaker said it would work to address buyers’ complaints about service and parts availability. Many have accused Tesla of ignoring those problems over the years, and it’s now feeling the pressure of intense Chinese competition.
Tesla ran into similar complaints in the U.S. when owners discovered their recently purchased vehicle values dropped considerably when it cut new prices. Fleet purchases are especially important to the automaker in Europe, where they make up around half of overall auto sales.
The automaker’s actions might help its cause with fleet buyers, but they might not go far enough. Some leasing firms have looked to Chinese automakers after taking a hit from Tesla. Residual values have tumbled so hard that discounts may only represent a portion of the damage done. It’s also worth noting that the discounts have been available since last year, but we’re just now learning about them, thanks to Tesla’s lack of PR.
[Images: Tesla, Shutterstock]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
