Questions
Questions people ask before they connect a car.
Handing an app the keys to a car is not a small thing to ask. These are the answers we would want first.
Does Niko need my Tesla password?
No, and it never asks for one. You authorise Niko on Tesla's own page, in your own Tesla account, and Tesla hands Niko a token. We never see the password, and the token is encrypted at rest and is never used as your Niko sign-in.
Why do I have to add a key at the car?
Recent Teslas refuse any command that is not signed by a key added to that specific car. It is Tesla's rule, not ours, and it is why the third step of setting Niko up happens standing next to the vehicle. Until that key is added Niko can read your car but cannot lock, cool or charge it.
Which cars does Niko work with?
Teslas, in the United Kingdom, with prices in pounds. Niko reads your VIN to know exactly which car you have, which is also how the shop only offers parts that fit it.
What does Niko cost?
Seeing and controlling your own car is free and always will be. Plus is £2.99 a month and keeps a record between the times you open the app. Pro is £3.99 a month and adds what the battery pack itself is doing. Both are cheaper by the year, and the app shows the price for your country before you buy.
Why does keeping a history cost anything?
Because it means asking your car for readings while you are not looking, and Tesla charges us for every one of those. Opening the app and looking at your car costs us almost nothing, so it is free. Watching it while the app is shut is the part that has a bill attached.
Can I see my car without the app?
Yes. Sign in on the web and you will see the cars on your Tesla account, their charge, their last known position and your orders. It is read-only by design: control stays in the app, where the virtual key lives.
How do I stop Niko reaching my car?
In your Tesla account, under Third-Party Apps, revoke Niko's access. That is Tesla's own switch and it works whatever we do. You can also delete your Niko account from inside the app, which disconnects the car and deletes or anonymises your data.
Is Niko made by Tesla?
No. Niko is an independent app by Niko Developments Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Tesla, Inc. It uses Tesla's official Fleet API with your permission, and nothing else.
When can I download it?
Not yet. Niko is in testing and is not on the App Store or Google Play, so there is nothing to install today. The account area on the web works now, and we would rather say this plainly than leave a download button that goes nowhere.
Anything else, write to support@nikoapp.co.uk. A person answers.