Tesla Introduces Mobile Service Rangers

Back in the old days, doctors used to make house calls routinely. But what about house calls for your car? With the Mobile Service Rangers those days could just be beginning, at least for Tesla owners.

The new program is designed to offer Roadster owners peace of mind about getting their Roadsters repaired. Tesla Mobile Service Rangers can visit the Roadster where ever it is- owners’ homes, offices or parking garages and they are equipped to perform an array of procedures like annual inspections and firmware upgrades.

The service isn't inexpensive - Tesla customers pay $1 per roundtrip mile from the nearest Tesla service center, with a minimum charge of $100. Tesla offers the example of a Tesla owner in Portland, Oregon paying $350 for a visit from the nearest Rangers in Seattle.

For owners of the Roadster, the service makes a lot of sense, being very convenient in addition to costing less than shipping the Roadster to the nearest facility. Tesla says the service even goes to places like "Honolulu, Anchorage, Banff and other locations."

I shudder to think of the costs to do that! For Tesla's current well-heeled clientele, I could see this program being successful. As it moves down the price ladder though, it's going to have to figure something better out, like more widespread service centers.