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In this Monday, April 25, 2016, file photo, a man sits behind the steering wheel of a Tesla Model S electric car on display at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing.
Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press file
FILE - In this Monday, April 25, 2016, file photo, a man sits behind the steering wheel of a Tesla Model S electric car on display at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing. Federal officials say the driver of a Tesla S sports car using the vehicle’s “autopilot” automated driving system has been killed in a collision with a truck, the first U.S. self-driving car fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said preliminary reports indicate the crash occurred when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at a highway intersection. NHTSA said the Tesla driver died due to injuries sustained in the crash, which took place on May 7 in Williston, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

DETROIT — Tesla Motors has ended its resale guarantee program in North America.

The program — which began in 2013 — guaranteed that Tesla vehicles would have a higher resale value after three years than premium sedans from manufacturers like BMW and Mercedes.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk personally backed the program, saying he wanted to give buyers peace of mind. Buyers who used Tesla financing were eligible.

A Tesla spokesperson said Wednesday that the program reassured customers in Tesla’s early years when its cars didn’t have a track record. But Tesla sedans are now holding their value even better than the resale value guarantees, so the program is no longer necessary.

The resale guarantee will still be available in some international markets.

Tesla shares fell 1 percent to close at $222.53 Wednesday.

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