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What to sort out before you order a Tesla in Germany, Austria or Switzerland: test drive, inventory or custom order, fees, the 2026 German subsidy, referral credits, financing, trade-in, charging and delivery.

Last checked 29 September 2026 against laws, authorities and official pages

Short answer

Book a test drive, then choose between an inventory car (faster) and a custom order. Tesla charges a non-refundable order fee of €250 (CHF 250 in Switzerland). In Germany, private buyers of a new electric car first registered from 1 January 2026 can apply for a federal subsidy of €3,000 to €6,000; demo cars are excluded. If someone you know drives a Tesla, open their referral link before you order, because it cannot be added afterwards. Sort out insurance, home charging and your registration details before delivery.

1. Take a test drive

Tesla test drives in Germany take about 30 minutes. You book online, bring a valid driving licence and arrive 10 minutes early; walk-ins are limited. At locations named “Self-Serve Probefahrt” you can also drive Model 3 or Model Y alone: you upload your licence, sign in the Tesla app, and the app unlocks the car. Only the person who booked may drive, and the car goes back to the same bay.

Use the drive to check what matters to you day to day: the seat and view, the ride on your usual roads, rear-seat space, and the flush door handles, which some first-time passengers find confusing.

2. Inventory, demo car or custom order

  • Inventory cars (new or demo) are Tesla’s route to faster delivery. Tesla describes demo cars as cars used for test drives or showroom display.
  • A custom order gets an estimated delivery date that depends on model, location and availability.
  • Certified Pre-Owned cars have under 150,000 km, pass a technician inspection, and keep any remaining new-car and battery warranty, with Europe-wide roadside assistance.

Two catches: in Germany a demo car or a car with a prior day registration is not eligible for the 2026 federal subsidy, and Certified Pre-Owned cars do not qualify for referral credits.

3. What it costs up front

  • Order fee: €250 in Germany and Austria, CHF 250 in Switzerland, paid by card and not refundable. With a private lease in Germany it counts as a down payment.
  • Destination fee: Tesla’s German and Austrian configurators list a one-time €980 “Ziel- und Behördengebühr” for new cars. Check in the configurator whether the price you are looking at already includes it.
  • Final payment: credit cards are not accepted.
  • Prices change often. Use the live configurator, not screenshots or old articles.

Warranty in Germany: 4 years or 80,000 km for the car; 8 years for the battery and drive unit, with at least 70 % capacity, up to 160,000 km on Model 3 and Model Y Standard RWD and 192,000 km on the other Model 3 and Model Y versions.

4. Subsidies, tax and money back

Germany: E-Auto-Förderung 2026. Since 19 May 2026, private individuals living in Germany can apply online at foerderzentrale.gov.de with a BundID. It covers new electric cars, bought or leased, first registered in Germany from 1 January 2026.

  • €3,000 base amount, plus €1,000 if taxable household income is below €60,000 and another €1,000 below €45,000, plus €500 per child (up to two). Maximum €6,000.
  • Household income limit €80,000, or €85,000 with one child and €90,000 with two or more.
  • Apply within 12 months of registration and keep the car registered to you for 36 months. No demo cars or day registrations.

Austria: no federal purchase subsidy for private electric cars in 2026; the 2024 programme ended early when its budget ran out. Switzerland: no federal subsidy; since 1 January 2024 electric cars pay the 4 % automobile tax on import, while cantons set their own vehicle-tax discounts.

Also worth knowing before you buy: German drivers of a fully electric car can sell the THG quota every year, electric cars pay no road tax in Germany for years, and a company car is taxed at a quarter of the usual rate.

5. Referral credits: open the link before you order

Tesla’s Refer and Earn programme gives you credits when you buy your first Tesla through an existing owner’s referral link. According to Tesla:

  • The link must be used when ordering; it cannot be applied after you have placed your order.
  • It works for new cars and new inventory, not for Certified Pre-Owned cars.
  • Credits arrive as Supercharger or Tesla credits, depending on the car, and expire 12 months after they are granted.
  • The reward has changed during 2026. Check the amount shown on the referral page before you order.

If a friend or colleague drives a Tesla, ask them for their link first.

6. Financing, leasing and trade-in

In Germany, Tesla’s financing and leasing are provided by Santander Consumer Bank. The configurator offers a mileage lease, a balloon loan and an instalment loan, with 24 to 60 months and 10,000 to 40,000 km a year for leases. Company-car drivers can also lease through a third-party lessor.

Trade-in: you can get a non-binding estimate before ordering and a firm offer within 48 hours after. The offer is not negotiable and expires after 30 days or at delivery. Tesla takes one car per purchase and does not accept, among others, motorcycles, motorhomes, former taxis or car-sharing cars, cars registered outside Germany or cars imported from the US. Factory-reset your old car before handover.

7. Before delivery day

  1. Once you have a VIN, take out insurance. In Germany your insurer gives you an eVB number for registration.
  2. Complete registration, trade-in and payment details in your Tesla account.
  3. Plan home charging early. A Wall Connector must be installed by a Tesla-certified electrician, and Tesla says booking one can take two weeks or more.
  4. Bring the final payment, your driving licence, proof of insurance and any trade-in documents.

Then follow the delivery checklist and 10 things to do with your new Tesla.

Questions

Is the Tesla order fee refundable?

No. Tesla describes the €250 order fee (CHF 250 in Switzerland) as a one-time, non-refundable payment.

Can I add a referral link after ordering?

No. Tesla says referral links cannot be applied after the order has been placed, so open the link first and order from there.

Does a demo car qualify for the 2026 German subsidy?

No. The BAFA conditions exclude demo cars and cars with a prior day registration or factory registration elsewhere.

Is there an electric car subsidy in Austria or Switzerland?

Not at federal level for private buyers in 2026. Swiss cantons set their own vehicle-tax discounts, and some Austrian states or energy suppliers run local programmes.

Sources

General information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Amounts, prices and rules change; check the linked sources and ask an adviser about your own case. Handlefree is independent and not affiliated with Tesla, Inc.

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