Tesla now offers used cars

Want to buy a Tesla, but don’t want to pay full price? Tesla now has a solution for you. The company has begun selling used Model S electric cars at a discount on its website and through select Tesla stores. (Read our complete Tesla Model S road test.)

The prices seem cheaper overall than on some used-car auction sites. (Since no two used cars are exactly alike, direct comparisons are not possible.) However, they’re not much cheaper than new Teslas. For example, Tesla’s website lists two Model S 85s for $72,000. You could buy a brand-new Model S 85 for $80,000, and that new Tesla would be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit for new electric vehicles, which the used one would not. And some states and cities also offer additional tax incentives on new electric cars. If you don’t need the biggest battery pack, you can buy a new Model S 70D for even less.

Tesla’s prices for these used Model S cars are still well above the company’s guarantee that they'll be worth 50 percent of their original value after three years.

The company says it performs a 100-point inspection on every used car it sells and that it won’t sell any car with major accident damage. The 4-year/50,000-mile warranty starts over when a buyer purchases a used Model S, but the original 8-year/unlimited mile battery and powertrain warranty does not. If you buy a used Model S, you get the remainder of the original battery and powertrain warranty.

Tesla doesn’t call this a certified pre-owned program. But the inspection, rejection of cars that have been in accidents, and an extension of the warranty should give buyers similar peace of mind.

Visit our guide to Tesla news and reviews.

—Eric Evarts

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