Meet Steve Sasman, a realtor in Arizona, United States, who has taken a special shine to the sharing economy by renting out his Tesla Model S as a "unique" hotel room parked in his Phoenix garage. "Once I got a Tesla, I took a road trip and had to sleep in the back a couple of nights ... thus the idea to combine the two," Sasman explains. Soon after his successful slumber, Sasman decided to throw an air bed and two battery-powered candles in the back - and let the Elon Musk magic happen.
Well, that's one way to finance the so-called millionaire's car. On his website, Teslarenter.com, where he documents his experiences using the Tesla as an Uber, Sasman admits the Model S was "well out of" his price range.
Living within your means is so unimaginative. At least, that's what Airbnb's increasingly bizarre list of rentals suggests - but this one might just win for weirdness. (Airbnb is San Francisco-based online platform for people to rent out lodging with over 800,000 listings in 33,000 cities and 192 countries.) "Sleep in World's 1st Tesla Hotel", reads the listing, which gives everyone the opportunity to camp out on a 6-foot, 6-inch twin air bed in the Tesla that's locked in the garage attached to Sasman's condo - for $85 a night.
Among the highlights? You can't actually drive the Tesla, and you need to be out by 8 am so Sasman can drive it to work. But don't worry if you're a late riser. Sasman invites renters to "hang out in the condo and even sleep-in longer on the big comfy couch." Thank you, Airbnb.
Sasman is a legit Airbnb host, according to the rental company, which is quick to point out the verified identity feature it uses to vet hosts. What's more, Airbnb supports Sasman - and others like him. "Our platform has always sought to help people make the most of their extra space," wrote Airbnb spokesperson Maria Parra Rodriguez in an e-mail.
As enticing as date night on a faux candlelit airbed next to a gleaming set of hubcaps may be, Susman's "hotel" idea hasn't caught on. If you were to book the Tesla now, you'd be the first. "I've only had one real inquiry so far, so it's probably safe to say this idea won't make significant money by itself," Sasman confesses, adding that he posted the Tesla hotel listing about a month ago. For now, Susman's other, a more traditional Airbnb vacation rental - a cabin in Falstaff, Arizona - is drawing better luck.
Bloomberg