Dear Tesla: Please add Power Liftgate as a separate option

DaveT · Apr 8, 2015

So today Tesla made a great announcement with the 70D (including navigation and supercharging as standard options). However, they also made a change with the power liftgate that used to be offered in the now defunct Tech Package. The power liftgate is now only available if you select the $5000 Premium Package (LED Lights, lighted door handles, power liftgate).

In my opinion this is a big mistake on Tesla's part since there are a lot of people that would like the power liftgate but don't want the added features of the Premium Package (ie., LED lights). Thus, it has potential to make the purchasing decision more complicated and challenging (especially to those wanting the Power Liftgate but who don't want to spend an extra $5k).

So my proposal is for Tesla to add a separate option for the Power Liftgate. They could charge probably $1000 or $1500 for it. And then they could adjust the price of the Premium Package since it would no longer have the Power Liftgate included in that package.

I've created a poll to see if my fellow TMC'ers agree with me on this or not. Also, I plan to forward this to Tesla management if there a large % of people who agree so they can reconsider the present configurations.

AndreyATC · Apr 8, 2015

It should either be part of tech pack or be standard feature

Max* · Apr 8, 2015

DaveT said:
Also, I plan to forward this to Tesla management if there a large % of people who agree so they can reconsider the present configurations.

While I'm all for it, I'm sure Tesla has the potential of making more money by bundling useful features with less useful ones rather than doing it a la carte.

DaveT · Apr 8, 2015

AndreyATC said:
It should either be part of tech pack or be standard feature

Tech Package has been discontinued. My guess is that they thought about adding it as a standard feature but perhaps the costs were too high for them to sustain the margin they need (especially since they added navigation and supercharging as standard features to the 70D).

SabrToothSqrl · Apr 8, 2015

It does seem cheesy, but labor is a large cost, and is why many of these options may be bundled. I'd never buy a car w/out power lift gate, and at $5k it includes the black (if you want) headliner... so its really $3500 if you subtract that out.

DaveT · Apr 8, 2015

Max* said:
While I'm all for it, I'm sure Tesla has the potential of making more money by bundling useful features with less useful ones rather than doing it a la carte.

They'd probably make more money by bundling power liftgate with the premium package, but overall I think it's a poorer customer buying experience. For me, I'd be torn since a power liftgate is essential (in my opinion) but I wouldn't want to spend $5k for it (and I think the other premium features aren't essential for me). It would be a much simpler (and better) experience for someone like me (and probably a lot of others as well) if they would just separate out the power liftgate as a separate option. Even better would be to include it as a standard option (but it appears they aren't ready to do that).

dirkhh · Apr 8, 2015

Tesla gets measured by ASP and margin. This is likely to once again push both up (the Premium Package looks to be quite margin if you look at what it includes).
This is the downside of Tesla being a publicly traded company.

Pinot.Noir · Apr 8, 2015

SabrToothSqrl said:
It does seem cheesy, but labor is a large cost, and is why many of these options may be bundled. I'd never buy a car w/out power lift gate, and at $5k it includes the black (if you want) headliner... so its really $3500 if you subtract that out.

Except on the P85D, the black headliner comes standard, so you are paying $1500 twice.

nanimac · Apr 8, 2015

Am confirming my 70D order over the next couple days. I can't see paying $5,000 just because I want the power lift gate. I don't really care about the other stuff in the premium interior package. IMO, a luxury car SHOULD have a power lift gate as a standard option. At least add as an after delivery option instead? TM stalkers, are you listening? :wink:

Johan · Apr 8, 2015

DaveT: of course you are correct and while I'm all for good margins, I'm also against rubbing people the wrong way and receiving the same type of animosity that traditional car dealers are so despised for. So yes, please change this Tesla.

Gizmotoy · Apr 8, 2015

It's perhaps relevant that the closest ICE competitor, the Audi A7, includes a power liftgate as standard.

It's weird they shuttled it off into a package that I suspect few people want. Given the relatively cheap stuff they packaged with it, I assume the margins will be fantastic. It might be a deliberate play to bundle a "must have" feature with a bunch of stuff that rarely sells otherwise.

markb1 · Apr 8, 2015

DaveT said:
So my proposal is for Tesla to add a separate option for the Power Liftgate. They could charge probably $1000 or $1500 for it. And then they could adjust the price of the Premium Package since it would no longer have the Power Liftgate included in that package.

I think even that would be way overpriced for this option. How much does the power liftgate piston part cost? A couple hundred dollars, maybe? That plus some wiring is all there is to this feature. So maybe $500 would be more reasonable.

DaveT · Apr 8, 2015

Alright, we've got close to 90% agreeing that Tesla ought to add Power Liftgate as a separate option (and not as part of the $5k premium package). I just sent off an email to Tesla management with a link to this thread.

Pinot.Noir · Apr 8, 2015

DaveT said:
Alright, we've got close to 90% agreeing that Tesla ought to add Power Liftgate as a separate option (and not as part of the $5k premium package). I just sent off an email to Tesla management with a link to this thread.

Thanks Dave. I for one will not order under the current scenario, and I was ready to order the P85D as soon as Ocean Blue was available, but now I'm back to waiting. If there are no changes to the Premium Package anytime soon, then Tesla just made my decision to save $5k that much easier.

jvsb · Apr 8, 2015

It's sort like ordering cable TV packages. To get 5 good channels I have to get 40 shopping channels. I hope Tesla doesn't become like Suddenlink. When I ordered my Infiniti 10 years ago the packages offered saved money but if I remember you could still order the options individually.

CarlK · Apr 8, 2015

Ideally every single option item should be individully priced. The only reason against it is production efficiency. Someday Tesla may be able to do it when its manufacturing process matures. BTW I don't believe the conspiricy theory. Tesla can always price popular options higher. There is no need to package them with less popular items to make profit. Not to mention it does not work anyway because people will just refuse to buy it.

grahamsimmonds · Apr 8, 2015

Had I had the choice, I would not have ordered the power lift on my P85D. I think this change is a good thing as it means you can get the Autopilot hardware without having to pay for the power lift which I consider to be a pointless option, adding unnecessary weight.

SunnyCoast · Apr 9, 2015

I support the power lift being separate. The premium interior costs the P85D buyer the cost of the alcantara as a double up and makes the A$6400 option a total rip off. For an admirable company doing great things sometimes they really are amateurish in how some things happen. Also the description of what is different in the surface finishes of the premium interior is a joke. The only negative from my test drive was the quality of the interior which is not as nicely finished as my wife's VW CC at a quarter of the cost (seat design, stitching, leather feel and seat ventilation, carpet quality and fit, panel gaps and rattles)

Gwgan · Apr 9, 2015

If they take the liftgate out of the premium package them a desire for fog lights will cost $5000.

JakeP · Apr 9, 2015

Which then makes you question why Fog Lights are a "Premium" item, instead of a necessary safety item.

Dear Tesla: Please add Power Liftgate as a separate option

Would you like Tesla to list Power Liftgate as a separate option?

Yes, Tesla should list Power Liftgate as a separate option.

No, Tesla should keep Power Liftgate as part of the $5000 Premium Package.

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