Tesla’s new return policy off to confusing start because of Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweets are causing a stir yet again — but this time it’s about the electric car company exec’s guidance on car returns clashing with what’s on the company website.

Tesla’s return policy lays out a seven-day return window for any cars delivered. But it specifies that that you’re only eligible for a return if “you have taken delivery of your vehicle without ever having taken a test or demo drive with us.”

Around 5 p.m. PT Wednesday, the return policy page included this key detail, as seen below on the left. But by 6 p.m. PT the site had been updated, without the test drive limitations.

Back on Feb. 28, Musk spoke with the media about a baseline Model 3 car priced at $35,000 and included information about a new test drive and return system.

At the time, he noted how the one-week return window would “mitigate the need for a test drive” and how essentially someone could use the car for a week for free. He said no one should “have concerns about placing an order…We make it incredibly easy to order and return.”

Then Musk tweeted Wednesday around 10:30 a.m. PT that contrary to the stated Tesla policy, “it is one week either way,” meaning if you’ve taken a test drive or not.

As The Verge reported, “Tesla told The Verge there was a delay in the language being updated on the website, and that a new return policy should be on the website soon that reflects Musk’s tweet.”

We reached out to Tesla to get more details on the contradictory return policies and the “delay in the language.” A spokesperson said the policy had been updated by the time Musk tweeted Wednesday, but the website wasn’t updated yet. 

Now it’s updated and any customer can return their car within seven days or 1,000 miles for a full refund, regardless of whether they’ve taken a test drive. Everyone’s on the same page again. For now.