When searching for a car, most teenage drivers operate on a limited budget–one often imposed by their parents or the limits of their own savings.
But 16-year-old Haydn Sonnad was eyeing something beyond such restrictive financial limits.
The Los Angeles resident wanted a Tesla Model S, and his father even agreed to loan him the money for one.
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That is, his father said, as long as he helped contribute to the monthly payments. So Haydn came up with a plan.
He started Tesloop, a ride service intended to help the Model S pay for itself, as Motor Trend tells it.
Tesloop shuttles customers from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, at a cost of $85 each way.
Tesla Model S P85D, 2015 Detroit Auto Show
Since Sonnad is too young to be a legally-paid driver, though, the service he started uses hired drivers.
Once customers book a ride, they meet their car at a designated Supercharger DC fast-charging station in the Los Angeles area.
Tesloop accepts up to four passengers per ride, filling all available passenger space in a five-seat Model S.
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The trip to Las Vegas takes about four hours, including a stop to recharge at the Supercharger station in Barstow, California.
Free onboard Wi-Fi is included, although phone calls are limited to three minutes as a courtesy to other passengers.
In addition to Las Vegas, Tesloop reportedly plans to expand to other cities within driving distance of Los Angeles, including Palm Springs and San Francisco.
Tesla Model S P85D, 2015 Detroit Auto Show
This isn’t the first time a Model S has been pressed into service as a commercial passenger hauler.
Several taxi companies have added Model S sedans to their fleets, cutting emissions and trading on the car’s popularity.
While Tesla Motors has asked its owners to use its Supercharger sites only for long-distance trips–not as regular recharging for local travel–the Tesloop service would seem to fit within that mandate.
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Some Model S owners also drive for Uber, meaning it’s possible to grab a ride in one if you use that ride-sharing service.
But this is likely the first time someone has attempted to build a standalone service around their own car.
And of course, the idea of a teenage ride-sharing entrepreneur–and Model S owner–is rather unusual as well.
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