With only 23 days left in the year, automakers are rolling out aggressive end-of-year incentives — and Tesla is jumping in with both feet. The company, long known for its end-of-quarter sales pushes, appears eager to prove it can still deliver strong numbers even after losing the federal EV tax credit. And if that means putting real cash on the table, Tesla seems ready.
According to Electrek, Tesla has quietly launched new discounts and free upgrades on its website, giving buyers more ways to save. On top of fresh financing and leasing offers, shoppers can even pick a complimentary upgrade to sweeten the deal.
Free Upgrades on Inventory Cars
The biggest perk? A “free upgrade” on select inventory vehicles. Buyers who choose models already built and sitting in stock can snag premium add-ons — like upgraded paint colors, an all-white interior, or fancy wheels — at no extra cost. Depending on the option, that’s a built-in discount of $1,000 to $2,500.
0% APR for Model Y Buyers
For budget-focused shoppers, Tesla is rolling out one of its rarest incentives: 0% APR financing for up to 72 months on the Model Y Standard Range.
Meanwhile, the Model 3 is getting 2.99% APR on most trims — a big drop from the usual 6.31% APR. It’s still a promotional deal, but very much in line with the competitive end-of-quarter offers most automakers use today.
For context, NerdWallet says today’s average APRs for top-tier credit are 4.9% (Superprime) and 6.5% (Prime). That means a buyer picking up the $44,490 Model Y Premium RWD could save $7,000 to as much as $9,400 over the life of their loan. It’s not the upfront $7,500 EV tax credit TSLA lost — but in this economy, it’s about as close as buyers can get.
$0-Down Lease Option
If leasing is more your style, Tesla is also offering a $0-down lease on the Model Y.
There’s one catch: You must take delivery by December 31 to lock in any of these incentives.
Tesla’s Tougher Sales Environment
Year-end pushes aren’t new for Tesla — but this year is different. Without the federal EV tax credit, most mainstream Tesla models effectively became $7,500 more expensive overnight. That added pressure to a year where the company has already been battling image issues and slowing demand.
Many buyers rushed to purchase earlier in the year to claim the last of the tax credits, leaving a sales slowdown in the fall across the industry. For Tesla, it’s been an especially rocky stretch.
Last year, the automaker delivered 495,570 vehicles between October and December, ending 2024 with 1,789,226 global deliveries. Whether Tesla can keep that momentum in 2025 — in a more challenging economic and political environment — remains to be seen.
