SAVVY drivers briefly thought they’d bagged a bargain after spotting a bizarre glitch on the Tesla website.
Many buyers even got as far as confirming their purchase of a brand new Tesla Model Y for just £66 a month – before the EV maker back-tracked and cancelled all affected orders.
For several hours on July 1, potential customers were able to visit Tesla’s Model Y online configurator and pick up the popular EV – which is priced from £44,990 – for an outrageously cheap finance offer of just £80 a month with six months down, or as low as £66 a month with a £993 deposit.
Former Auto Express and Autocar editor Steve Fowler posted his findings on X, writing: “I’ve just bought myself a brand new Model Y for £66 a month, with just £993 down.
“Two year deal, 10k miles per year. Car turns up in a few weeks.”
He added: “You know when some things seem too good to be true? Let’s see…”
Andrew Brady of HeyCar UK wrote something similar, posting to X: “Tesla’s website is currently offering a lease deal of £80/month for a Model Y, seems too good to be true, right?”
The deal was indeed too good to be true, as Tesla later released a statement that admitted to a website error that “caused incorrect finance options to be displayed.”
Elon Musk‘s brand then cancelled all affected orders and said it would refund the £200 order fee and any accessories purchased within the next three days.
When some X users questioned whether Tesla would be forced to honour the offer, Scott Dixon, a consumer champion and motoring disputes expert, said: “They should, but in reality, they probably won’t and don’t have to as it’s classed as an ‘invitation to treat’ – not legally binding.”
Sun Motors has approached Tesla for a comment.
The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling electric car in the UK in 2023, and it was recently awarded Autotrader’s New Car of the Year for 2024 for its value for money, drivability and styling.
On sale since 2020, the Model Y is the company’s most affordable crossover and has a range of 283 miles per charge.
A facelifted version with a new front end and revised interior will be released in 2025.
Meanwhile, Sun Motors’ Rob Gill recently took the new Model 3 for a test drive, describing it as “light years ahead of other EVs.”
And Britain’s first Tesla Cybertruck – with 500-mile range – is up for sale for an eye-watering sum, but it’s not even road legal yet.
