Tesla's 1.74 Million 'Subscribers' Are Not All Paying Monthly
The company's reported user base for its driver-assist software includes one-time buyers from years past.
By John Laurent ·
Tesla's reported number of active Full Self-Driving subscriptions reached 1.74 million as of its third-quarter 2026 report, a 67% increase from the previous year. However, the company's own filing indicates this figure includes customers who paid a one-time fee for the software, some of whom purchased it years ago, rather than just those on a recurring payment plan.
According to a footnote in Tesla's shareholder letter, this reporting method is used to align with the criteria for the 2025 CEO Performance Award. A key milestone for that award is reaching 10 million active FSD subscriptions. The current count also includes hundreds of thousands of customers who were promised unsupervised self-driving capabilities that have not yet been delivered by the company.
Tesla ended the option for a one-time FSD purchase on February 14, 2026. New customers can now only subscribe to the service for $99 per month in the U.S. However, individuals who paid upfront for the software before this date, with prices that once reached $15,000, are still counted as active subscribers as long as their vehicle is in use. Tesla has not disclosed how many of the 1.74 million individuals are on a monthly subscription plan.
Tesla also reported that over 75% of new vehicle deliveries in North America included an FSD subscription during the third quarter. The company did not provide details on this figure, such as whether it includes introductory offers or how many of those customers remain subscribed after a few months.
The company added a net of 260,000 FSD subscriptions in the third quarter. At this rate, reaching the 10 million subscriber milestone for Elon Musk's performance award would take approximately eight years. The award package is active until 2035.
Tesla's reporting on cumulative vehicle deliveries also reflects this method. Its figure of 10.2 million includes any unsupervised Robotaxis placed into commercial operation, a metric designed to align with another award milestone requiring 20 million vehicles delivered.
Source: Electrek · original report published
