An Update to our Supercharging Program

[McRat]

It was a wise move by Tesla if they want the Model 3 to be affordable and on time. Borrow money at interest, dilute stock, or monetize their existing capital that is a cost center instead of profit center.

Some folk not familiar with managerial accounting might not understand how harmful cost center capital is, but it's killed more startups than divorce.

 

[Max*]

" Supercharger Network will never be a profit center."

I heard the same thing of the service centers,and the $500 wiper blades. So yeah, supercharging will cost $10/kwh going forward

I said it another thread, and I'll say it here again.

 

[JunesongProvisn]

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.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

The new fee structure for Supercharging makes total sense. I'm pleasantly happy how this was done. Well done Tesla.

As a demand lever, very curious to see how this plays out. There's a lot to be said about knowing you could miss out on something free.

It's pretty similar to what I suggested over a year ago...but I was hoping it would be more like 1000 kWh per year instead of 400 kWh per year. Fortunately my S will be locked in with unlimited so I guess it will be my road trip vehicle for the foreseeable future. I guess if I do end up getting a Y in a few years, that would be the "around town" vehicle and wouldn't need much supercharging.

 

[NYSea]

So there would never be a charge for current owners?

 

[deonb]

Duplicate thread:
Supercharging credit program starts in 2017, first 1000 miles are free...

(And if this ends up pointing to itself again... it's been merged).

 

[ahaer]

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.

As an existing owner it doesn't affect you so I'm not sure how it limits you in any way...

 

[3PHASE]

I don't think this is a big deal for some people, but they will have to deal with some legacy things on the web, like their current support page...

Supercharging

How much does it cost to use the Superchargers?
Supercharging is free for the life of your Tesla vehicle, once the Supercharger option is enabled.​

And this video...

 

[Max*]

How can you say this is nice? 400kWh is a very limited amount, this is a step back in every way

You can still pay for any excess supercharging you need. And it's not that limited if you think about it.

Let's say you often take 350 mile one-way trip road trips. So you think to yourself "o no, 3 trips and my free allowance is up", except no, that's far from the truth.

You start your trip charging at home, with a 100% full battery (let's say 70kwh worth, for arguments sake), one way it's 350 miles, so you stop halfway and charge 2/3 of your battery worth (40kwh) and drive out to your destination. You charge to 100% at your destination, and you start driving back home, rinse and repeat.

So for this scenario, you'd be able to stretch the 400kwh (1,000 mile) allowance to 3,500 miles worth of trips.


Sure, once cross country trip and you used it all. But everyone's needs are different.

 

[JunesongProvisn]

As an existing owner it doesn't affect you so I'm not sure how it limits you in any way...

Sorry...add brain dead to bitchy and pouty. I've got a M3 reservation and as soon as my lease is up I was planning to get a shiny new MX (if not before).

 

[deonb]

I said it another thread, and I'll say it here again.

From the blog:
"Beyond that, there will be a small fee to Supercharge which will be charged incrementally and cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car"

So yeah, it will cost about 50c less than filling up a Bugati Veyron...

 

[ecarfan]

Hope there is still an unlimited option available.

There is nothing in that blog post saying that will be the case. And I'm fine with that. Not just because I already have an S (I'm trading it in on a Model 3) but because too many Superchargers have become almost unusable due to locals regularly charging at them.

This change by Tesla is excellent and overdue. It means that after 1/1/2017 S and X cars will continue to be sold with "free Supercharging" but it is capped at 400kWh/1000 miles a year and after that there will be charges (exact amounts yet to be specified). This will greatly discourage locals using Superchargers (I think it will effectively eliminate it) and encourage owners to charge at home (and figure out how to charge at home, or at work).

It will boost sales somewhat in Q4 2016. It may simultaneously discourage potential buyers who live in multi-unit dwellings where the landlord is unwilling to invest in EV charging.

This is on balance a good move by Tesla.

NOTE: this change does not mean that the Model 3 will only be sold with this new Supercharging program. Maybe, but maybe the base Model 3 will be offered with a pay-per-use Supercharger program and the new Supercharging program for the S and X will be an option for the Model 3. We shall see...

 

[Ibrido]

This supercharger announcement was inevitable but I think Tesla just increased the resale value of all our "legacy" cars. I will keep mine as long as possible!

Enjoy !! Around AP2 announcement, I read existing owners were worried about their resale value. I guess this will boost morale of many. I feel existing customers who have largely helped Tesla grow will always be respected.

 

[electracity]

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

Tesla is doomed if it attracts Model 3 buyers intending to game the supercharger network and never pay for "gas". A few weirdos with MS is not impacting Tesla. An inexpensive EV is another situation entirely.

400kWh is a bit stingy. But I'm glad they are being firm about future costs and owner behavior.

 

[Alex D]

It sucks though for the owners that have no other charging options, which we know are out there, even if it's just a few.
I also think 400 kWh is not enough annually. They should raise that to at least a 1,000 kWh annually.

 

[bonnie]

Kudos to Tesla for handling this appropriately. This move, in the long run, will benefit all owners by allowing the network to be built out in step with sales.

If anyone is upset about this, you just need to look around at the owners who proclaim that 'free long distance supercharging' means they have a right to charge anywhere and as often as they want. Who can blame Tesla for getting that behavior under control? As many owners have said over the past few years, it's THAT behavior that was going to bring free supercharging to an end. Tesla tried clarifying that it was free long-distance, to backlash from that set of owners. If that clarification from Tesla had modified behavior, we might not be here. But nope. Those owners have righteously crowed about their right to clog up superchargers. Tesla handled it the only fair way, by making it apply to future cars so no one can say they didn't know. And now I won't have to see posts anymore about how someone 'paid $2k for supercharging' upfront - when everyone knows it was the hardware in the vehicle. At least NOW it's clear.

And yep, it's going to impact me. I have a Model 3 reservation. (Guess I'm going to have to get my Founder X ordered before the end of the year, even though I don't have a way to easily charge at home at the moment.)

 

[MorrisonHiker]

You can still pay for any excess supercharging you need. And it's not that limited if you think about it.

Let's say you often take 350 mile one-way trip road trips. So you think to yourself "o no, 3 trips and my free allowance is up", except no, that's far from the truth.

You start your trip charging at home, with a 100% full battery (let's say 70kwh worth, for arguments sake), one way it's 350 miles, so you stop halfway and charge 2/3 of your battery worth (40kwh) and drive out to your destination. You charge to 100% at your destination, and you start driving back home, rinse and repeat.

So for this scenario, you'd be able to stretch the 400kwh (1,000 mile) allowance to 3,500 miles worth of trips.

Good point. I typically do a couple 1000 mile trips per year. Assuming I can fully charge at home and my destination, I'd only be using supercharging for about half of the trip.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I agree. A no-hassle fee. Maybe only for S and X. Either up front or yearly subscription.

I'm glad this charge is across ALL models.

I do wonder how the Tesla fleet program is supposed to work now. Looks like the price of Tesla fleet riders just went up.

 

[electracity]

It sucks though for the owners that have no other charging options, which we know are out there, even if it's just a few.
I also think 400 kWh is not enough annually. They should raise that to at least a 1,000 kWh annually.

For renters and other without home charging, Tesla can influence charging behavior through price. Off hour charging may be cheap. Charging at 5pm may be expensive.

They will figure it out in LA and the bay area.

 

[Festerfeet]

It sucks though for the owners that have no other charging options, which we know are out there, even if it's just a few.
I also think 400 kWh is not enough annually. They should raise that to at least a 1,000 kWh annually.

Not sure it does suck. It may mean that Tesla will have the funds to build the required charging infrastructure in areas of high demand.