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Tesla's referral program will be kaput as of Feb. 1

Bad news if you were hoping to coerce your friends, family members and coworkers into buying a Tesla so you could get yourself a free set of wheels.

Investigation Continues Into Tesla Driver's Death While In Autopilot Mode
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Investigation Continues Into Tesla Driver's Death While In Autopilot Mode

The Tesla referral program is ending in a couple of weeks so your time to aggressively proposition friends and family into buying a car is running out.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

So it looks like ol' Elon finally got tired of having to earmark free roadsters for YouTubers because he announced on Twitter on Wednesday that the Tesla referral program will be ending on Feb. 1.

The program -- as it exists for most Tesla owners -- gives buyers who use a referral code six months of free Supercharging. Meanwhile the owners get a series of benefits starting with having an etched glass plate of their face being launched into space and ending with a VIP invite to a Tesla unveiling.

The referral program has been a cause of much internet bickering between journalists on what constitutes an ethical violation and even jokes on shows such as Silicon Valley. It probably helped to sell a lot of cars, but its popularity and subsequent costs were ultimately the program's undoing, according to further tweets from Musk.

"The program was great in the beginning to spread the word about Tesla and to get one in everyone's hands, as time went on the system was losing more and more money as more owners were getting referral codes and the Model 3 production ramped up," said Rich Benoit of YouTube's popular Rich Rebuilds, in a statement to Roadshow. "People like myself that are currently enjoying the perks may not like it, but Tesla can't give expensive things away forever. That and I'm getting close to getting a free and Elon wanted to put a stop to that!"

Tesla declined to comment on the matter.

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Kyle Hyatt Former news and features editor
Kyle Hyatt (he/him/his) hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, but has long called Los Angeles home. He's had a lifelong obsession with cars and motorcycles (both old and new).
Kyle Hyatt
Kyle Hyatt (he/him/his) hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, but has long called Los Angeles home. He's had a lifelong obsession with cars and motorcycles (both old and new).

Article updated on January 17, 2019 at 8:08 AM PST

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Kyle Hyatt Former news and features editor
Kyle Hyatt (he/him/his) hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, but has long called Los Angeles home. He's had a lifelong obsession with cars and motorcycles (both old and new).
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