TESLA has increased its customer-centric focus with the launch of exclusive body repair shops, opening four in Australia and one in New Zealand.

It is believed to be the only OEM to embark on direct ownership of repair centres – in line with its factory-owned sales centres – although car-makers including Lexus have partnered with body repair businesses.

Tesla country director Thom Drew told GoAutoNews Premium that it was a new business venture for Tesla and, at the moment, was being rolled out “as a paced expansion.”

The benefits, he said, included better control over the pricing and timing of repair work.

Tesla country director Thom Drew

“These allow us to perform fully-qualified repairs on customer vehicles using genuine factory parts and with the ability to keep the cost as low as possible for the insurance company and the customer,” he said.

“The smash repair business can be slow and awkward in some cases, and can be subject to high prices which impacts on insurance premiums. 

“So we started factory repair shops to repair vehicles and charge insurance companies the actual cost so they keep our insurance premiums low.

“For our customers, there is better control over the work and the reassurance that it is being done by qualified tradespeople using genuine Tesla parts.”

Mr Drew said the shops would also be exclusively dealing with Tesla and its customers.

He added that Tesla is also looking to expand the number of its national network, in line with anticipated growth in sales as the new Model Y – which in its previous generation became Australia’s most popular EV – started deliveries.He said his role in the company in Australia and New Zealand was to build sales and also expand the sales and after sales business.

“We have a unique retail model where our stores are owned by the company,” he said.

“This puts us in the position of being able to closely follow sales and aftersales so the customer gets the best service.

“We have a plan to continue to expand sales and service outlets, including into regional centres.”

Tesla has six centres in major cities and Mr Drew said it would add to that with an opening in Newcastle “and other similar regional cities.” 

He said the program also includes pop-up stores that allows high visibility of the brand in major centres without incurring the high costs of a permanent store.

“Sales are important but more so to build our service and aftersales business. The priority is to look after our customers.”

The factory ownership of sales centres and now repair centres is in keeping with the Tesla philosophy of maintaining business divisions under the corporate roof.

For example, its factory in China – where Australian-bound Model 3 and Model Y come from – is the only one in China owned by a foreign OEM, without any joint venture.