It looks like Tesla’s found itself with a problem of abundance. The automaker has more cars sitting on lots across the United States than it seems to know what to do with. And with the federal EV tax credit gone, sales have slowed considerably.

To keep things moving, Tesla has decided to do something a little different, by renting out its own cars directly to customers, starting at two locations in California, with more likely on the way.

Read: Elon Musk’s Trillion Dollar Pay Hinges On A Bet That Could Break Tesla

The company recently confirmed that its stores in San Diego and Costa Mesa are now offering rentals from the entire Tesla lineup.

What Does It Cost?

If you’ve been curious about living with a Model 3 or Model Y, you can now take one home for as little as $60 per day. The Cybertruck, perhaps the most talked-about of the bunch, is listed at $75 per day, while the more premium Model S and Model X command $90 per day.

Of course, no deal from Tesla would be complete without some important caveats. For starters, cars must be rented for a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven days.

Furthermore, while renters will be able to enjoy unlimited mileage, they will not be permitted to drive the Tesla out of the state. They’ll also be hit with a $30 fee if the car is returned with less than 50 percent charge.

There’s no word on whether the advertised rates include insurance, or if Tesla, like traditional car rental companies, will try to sting shoppers with exorbitant insurance fees.

What we do know is that only the upper-tier Premium trims are being offered. The entry-level Standard versions aren’t part of the deal, and neither are the high-performance Performance or Plaid variants.

Tesla will no doubt hope that by offering cheap rentals, it can convince interested shoppers to place an order. To help further convince them, they’ll receive a $250 credit if they place an order within seven days of the rental.

It’s always amusing when we’re writing about collector cars to check the huge sums buyers paid out for optional equipment. Fifty years ago, for example, anyone buying a C3 Corvette had to pay a hilarious $284 ($1,710 in 2025 money) for an AM/FM radio, then a highly desirable and expensive option.

Today, though, it’s something that we expect to see on even the cheapest, most basic modern car. Yet, AM/FM radio is one of the pieces of equipment Tesla has cut from its new entry-level models.

Related: Analog AM Radios In EVs Could Cost Automakers Nearly $4 Billion

Called Standard, the new base Model 3 and Model Y are designed to keep the barrier to entry of Tesla’s EVs low in the wake of federal tax credits disappearing at the end of September.

The Model 3 Standard costs $36,990, against $42,490 for the next trim up, now renamed Model 3 Premium RWD. And the Model Y Standard comes in at $39,990, versus $44,990 for the Y Premium.

The lack of a radio is far from the only difference between the new Standard and Premium Models. Base 3s miss out on the 8-inch second-row touchscreen, ventilated front seats and heated rears, power door mirrors and steering column, Autosteer, and frequency-dependent shocks.

They also downgrade to simple 18-inch steel wheels with covers, need 5.8 seconds instead of 4.9 seconds to reach 60 mph (97 km/h), and the driving range is cut from 363 miles to 321 miles (584-517 km).

Wheels aside (and an upgrade to 19s is available), the Model 3 Standard doesn’t scream “I was too cheap to upgrade!” in the same way its Model Y counterpart does. Because the Y Standard loses the facelifted Y’s front and rear LED light bars, and Tesla covers over the panoramic glass roof (which, in the ultimate insult, is still present) with a conventional headliner.

It also downgrades to textile seat surfaces, loses the adaptive headlights, subwoofer, and HEPA filter, and misses out on various bits of the same kit omitted from the 3 Standard spec.

But performance takes a much bigger hit than it does in the sedan. The boggo Y needs 6.8 seconds to reach 60 mph compared with 5.4 seconds for the Premium, and the range is reduced from 357 to 321 miles (575-517 km).

Test drive reveals more missing features

YouTuber Everyday Chris got his hands on the new Model Y Standard and points out some other differences in his video, including the very basic frunk, trunk, and door pocket liners, lack of electric frunk opener and rear parcel shelf, the single-pane door glass, and the fact that the max charging speed is down from 250 kW to 225 kW. You can also no longer recline the second row of seats from the trunk.

We’re guessing most owners will be more frustrated by that trunk-folding button having disappeared than they are by the radio getting a bullet. Still, according to a 2023 study, cutting the AM unit could save Tesla around $50–70 per car, since it no longer needs to shield radio waves from interference created by the electric motors.

This cost has led several automakers to consider junking radios, though lawmakers want to make AM availability in cars a legal requirement, because it’s viewed as essential for drivers in rural areas. Would you care if your next car didn’t have a radio, or have you never used yours since 2004?

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