An Update to our Supercharging Program

[jgs]

They're not charging for the electricity -- they're charging rent for the parking space at the SpC and for turning the switch on and off.

That argument would work if they had proposed billing per-minute and not per-kWh. But the blog post is all about the kWh, so, no.

 

[brantse]

It seems like if local SpCing were
really the big issue they could have addressed that directly by limiting only charging near home and thus not ruffled the feathers of
the "well-behaved" (future) customers at all.

Although the idea of eliminating the ability to use "local" superchargers eliminates the problem 99% of the time, what about that other small chance that you need to use those chargers on your way home? Would you be alright with them completely disabling a charger that could have provided you with a lifesaver, on the return leg of a trip home (whether it be for unforeseen reasons or just poor planning)?

 

[RogerHScott]

One condition I'd hope for is that they'll allow you free use on pick-up day. I'd probably need to Supercharge on the way home.

It seems like it would be great PR for Tesla to include free, unlimited SpC use for the first 90 days with all of their cars (including the 3).
You know, "the first one's free" and all that pusher jazz

 

[mhan00]

Good. This would be awesome if they also implement the "idle time" charge that was spotted in the website code a few months back. I really hope they also implement the idle time charge for even current owners. Grandfather in current owners (and new ones for the last couple of months of this year) for free supercharging, by all means, but charge for time they spend clogging superchargers, using them as their personal parking space after they've finished charging.

 

[RogerHScott]

Although the idea of eliminating the ability to use "local" superchargers eliminates the problem 99% of the time, what about that other small chance that you need to use those chargers on your way home? Would you be alright with them completely disabling a charger that could have provided you with a lifesaver, on the return leg of a trip home (whether it be for unforeseen reasons or just poor planning)?

Who said anything about disablement? Just charge (and not "minimally", either).

 

[RogerHScott]

I guess I'm a big jerk for using the SC exactly how the Tesla staff have told me to -- and exactly how I hear them tell other customers every time I'm in the store or service center.

If you read these boards enough you'll know you're never supposed to believe anything a salesperson or SvC staff person tells you!

 

[Oil4AsphaultOnly]

So, just a little perspective from the dense urban East Coast:

The standard rate for charging at parking garages in New York City is *$0.49/kWh*. The only one I have ever seen that's lower (with the exception of a very small number of stalls at municipal garages in the outere boroughs that are usually broken) is $35 flat rate -- which is cheaper only if you bring your Tesla in pretty much dead flat empty.

Tesla salespeople regularly put forth nearby Superchargers as the solution to this problem when they realize the prospective customer lives in Manhattan or Brooklyn. "Oh, most of my other customers just go to Paramus to get their groceries and stop at the supercharger on the way" etc. I don't know how it is in California but that is the reality here. It makes all the disgust and vitriol aimed at people using the SCs for local charging seem pretty disgusting to me. There isn't any charging *at all* within a 40 block radius of where I live. How exactly am I supposed to charge at night? I guess I'm a big jerk for using the SC exactly how the Tesla staff have told me to -- and exactly how I hear them tell other customers every time I'm in the store or service center.

The whole world is not California, shocking as it may seem. Sigh.

Fair enough that the rest of the world isn't California, but the answer might involve where you park? And why can't a charger be installed there?

When I was in NY, street parking was a royal pain, and private parking garages were expensive. So you either gave up your car, moved your car around ALOT or paid for parking. Why won't the parking garages install chargers? Germany's also working on parking meters that also double as EVSE's.

Besides, this new policy actually legitimizes the use of superchargers for locals, since you just have to be willing to pay the overage charges. The additional revenue should encourage the build-out of more superchargers (although with the limits of space, only existing parking lots can be considered) in the area.

 

[Ben W]

This was needed, one question will unlimited go with the vehicle or the owner? Clearly it is setup based on vehicle order date and or delivery but for those of us who are here already I would very much like it if I replace the S in the future with a Tesla vehicle to be grandfathered in. We keep on being told how we are paying for all the model 3's, etc...

Probably they should do it where if you trade in your old S to Tesla to upgrade to a new one, you can keep the unlimited supercharging. That would keep a cap on the number of "unlimited" Teslas on the road, and seems fair all around.

 

[AMPd]

Fair enough that the rest of the world isn't California, but the answer might involve where you park? And why can't a charger be installed there?

When I was in NY, street parking was a royal pain, and private parking garages were expensive. So you either gave up your car, moved your car around ALOT or paid for parking. Why won't the parking garages install chargers? Germany's also working on parking meters that also double as EVSE's.

Besides, this new policy actually legitimizes the use of superchargers for locals, since you just have to be willing to pay the overage charges. The additional revenue should encourage the build-out of more superchargers (although with the limits of space, only existing parking lots can be considered) in the area.

But EM said it would not be a revenue source.

 

[gearchruncher]

A bunch of people in here seem to be acting like you can't use a Supercharger after 400KWh. But it's pretty clear you can, you'll just have to pay for the use.

Seems to cover the situation of an apartment dweller pretty well.

Another point: Idle at a SuC could be covered with a simple definition of KWh being time at the charger. What if Tesla says "any time you're at a charger, it's 100KWh average"? That would mean they would charge you no matter how much electricity you actually use, and encourage you to move once done, or even at 80%. Also solves the "reselling electricity" issue.

 

[bonnie]

You don;t think that analysis is a little it of tail wagging the dog? Isn't it likely that this change was overwhelmingly motivated by the M3
and then they just figured they could also deal with the growing S/X population while they were at it? It seems like if local SpCing were
really the big issue they could have addressed that directly by limiting only charging near home and thus not ruffled the feathers of
the "well-behaved" (future) customers at all.

I'll look through my lenses, you look through yours.

Of COURSE they had to consider the M3 as part of the equation. But I also believe that IF some owners of S/X had not abused the network, they would not be at this point. If we'd all used it just for long-distance, they might not have had to think about how it might be abused by a larger owner population.

 

[Johann Koeber]

I'm being bitchy and pouty this morning after a very long weekend. Could someone explain to me how this is a good thing?

I've chosen at least four long road trips in lieu of flying the past year and a half and I've very much enjoyed it. Charging me to use the supercharger network makes me sad that I won't be able to justify this in the future. Not to mention, I drive a lot for business to towns ~2-4 hours away and have to charge there. This doesn't make sense to me.

I'm trying to figure out how this isn't another "say one thing then do another with no regard for the customer" that I'm so used to from Tesla.

I understand your complaint.

But please consider that without curbing SC usage you would be paying one way or another. Either in $$$ or in waiting time at clogged up SCs. Tesla is preparing for a doubling of the Tesla car population. Not once, but then doubling again and again. No way the SCs would be accessible if free for all and forever. Waiting times are worse than a few $$. How much is your time worth (to you)?

This was a smart move. If do not charge too much for the electrons (they won't) an excellent move.

 

[RogerHScott]

If I there is no prepay when order solution I lost my intest in Tesla.

It doesn't sound like there was much to lose...

 

[scottm]

..details to be announced later in the year. When the need for sales peaks.

We know Tesla is making their own branded "network", as hinted in AP2 design studio - limitations of use of new features. "How will they know that?" we all wondered. And now we're hearing the word, "credit" and it's tied to energy usage (consumption). A credit is not a dollar. Maybe it gets tied to units of "travel consumption" and not just energy in the future. There is going to be a new form of currency "Tesla bucks" that doesn't have to be straight and convertible to "dollars". Tesla network owns these credits... it's a new form of currency. The currency will be seen and traded in the Tesla App on your phone, of course. It is unlimited what you can do with your own currency. Creating your own currency is going to make it hard for taxation on energy use... government and regulators are going to have to pin this on the price of the car, at purchase time. What if the CAR BECOMES FREE !? Then what? It's all about credits to your "travel consumption" account and Tesla is the bank. This is going to be just WILD to watch! ...coming from a guy who invented PayPal. This is the next level.

When you turn the travel industry upside down, and now challenge and "own" the energy network... you rule the world.

Then, Mars.

 

[stopcrazypp]

They know where you park, where you "home" charge (assuming you have home charging), where you typically receive updates, etc.
It is hardly rocket science to identify your real home, for this purpose.

How do they know the location you are charging at is your actual "home" and not an office/workplace, a vacation home, or the home of a relative/friend/neighbor? Also, what about people with absolutely no home charging? What about people with long commutes? Given how Tesla messed up their local charging warning letter, I have zero confidence Tesla can reliably do this without getting huge backlash from false positives.

This method avoids any such issues and is relatively straightforward.

 

[Markk993]

If i am understanding this correctly current owners still have free charging for the life of the car? Just want to make sure

 

[MorrisonHiker]

It seems like it would be great PR for Tesla to include free, unlimited SpC use for the first 90 days with all of their cars (including the 3).
You know, "the first one's free" and all that pusher jazz

Instead of unlimited for 90 days, maybe they can offer blocks of kWh usage as an incentive. Imagine cars in the 3rd month of a quarter including a bonus 20000 kWh. It's not a HUGE incentive but it is a incentive that could sway some buyers...and could be offered without reducing the price of a new car.

 

[Beckler]

I'm somewhat disappointed, as "free" supercharger road trips anywhere in N. America was part of the fun and interest, and part of the Tesla advantage. Not that I'll cancel my model 3 reservation or anything. But anyway I wonder if they will charge more for Model S/X charging than for 3? (Beyond the extra of the presumably larger battery). It would probably make sense because if it were built in to the price of the car, you'd probly be paying more in that case anyway, and also if you're getting a $100k-range vehicle, there's much less chance you can't really afford charging costs. Model 3 should be kept as affordable as possible, should it not?

 

[Johann Koeber]

Two quick questions:

1 How much will the price of the vehicles be reduced after Jan 1, 2017 (when they take SCing out of the initial purchase price)?

2 Wouldn't it be cool if the free limit was 1,000 kWh (instead of 400)?

 

[RogerHScott]

Do people hear themselves saying that they should get a megawatt-hour of free electricity "just because"? I mean, wow...