Tesla Unveils Unconditional Warranty for Car Battery

Tesla has unveiled an unconditional battery warranty for the Model S.

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The automaker introduced Friday a new service program for the luxury electric vehicle, including a warranty for its battery "even for user error." 

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"Except in the case of a collision, opening of the battery pack by non-Tesla personnel or intentional abuse (lighting the pack on fire with a blowtorch is not covered!), all damage is covered by warranty, including improper maintenance or unintentionally leaving the pack at a low state of charge for years on end," wrote Tesla founder Elon Musk, in a company blog post. 

Musk also stated that the automaker would include a valet service for customers at its service centers and offer "the choice of taking home one of our Tesla Roadster sports cars when their car is in for service."

The Model S, with a base price of $62,400, boasts industry fans, including actor Morgan Freeman. Participant Media CEO Jim Berk joked to THR last December that his company parking lot "looks like a Tesla dealership." 

The automaker received scrutiny in February when the New York Times published a scathing review titled "Stalled Out on Tesla’s Electric Highway." Musk defended the car's integrity at the time, firing back that the newspaper's reviewer "constructed a no-win scenario."

The same month, an online post about a Tesla Roadster whose battery had died apparently due to not being plugged in while parked caused further headaches, as recounted by the Times.

In Friday's blog post, Musk noted of the unconditional warranty for the battery: "The intent is to provide complete peace of mind about owning your Model S even if you never read or followed the instructions in the manual."