Self-driving Teslas are about to get much more expensive

News
By
published

The first price hike is coming in two weeks

Tesla Model Y
Image credit: Tesla (Image credit: Tesla)

The cost of a Tesla with full self-driving car capabilities is set to rise by several thousand dollars in the coming months.

According to a tweet by the company's CEO Elon Musk, the price of cars with the company's the Full Self-Driving option will rise "substantially over time", with the first hike happening on May 1.

When asked by one follower whether the price rise would be "a few thousand dollars", Musk replied that yes, it would be in that ballpark.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving package currently costs $5,000 (about £3,800, AU$7,000) if you request it when ordering a new car, or $7,000 (about £5,300, AU$9,900) if you want to add it later, so that's a hefty extra outlay.

Upgrades down the road

The price hike comes as Tesla prepares to launch its new self-driving computer, which will be offered as a retrofit to customers who have already bought a car with the Full Self-Driving option.

Musk says those retrofits will begin in the next few months, and will make the cars "appreciating assets" (a claim he first made during a podcast last week).

Via Engadget

Cat Ellis
Cat Ellis
Homes Editor

Cat is TechRadar's Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she's a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.