Burned by Tesla on idle fees. Something to know

[iSpyLife]

With the introduction of Model 3s into the community, I'm glad to see this being enforced. It's "gas" for someone traveling and you're blocking a stall... granted there are/were other open stalls, you're still sitting there idle, taking up a space for someone else to charge.

 

[Max*]

This has been mentioned a couple times. My question is, are the map notifications simply lagging behind? It could certainly be possible that Tesla knows exactly when people are plugging and unplugging, but there is a delay of this information on the maps screen.

There was some testing done a while back, I believe the testing came up with was a 5 minute delta from plunging/unplugging to the map updating. It may have changed in recent firmware.

This is completely different than the Nav map being just plain wrong about the data it has. Sitting in the car watching it show X (X>1) stalls occupied, when I'm the only one there for 30 minutes.

 

[Bigtanuki]

What I believe has gone unmentioned is the fact that we are supposed to be the leaders of charging protocol. We have had anywhere from a few months to a few years of Supercharging experience under our belts. Some of us Supercharge frequently and in crowded locations like California, while others charge less frequently in deserted locations. We need to establish proper charging etiquette and protocols not only for Superchargers, but also for destination chargers. We have the Model 3 coming out in droves soon, and it is likely that other manufacturers will start selling longer-range BEVs in a few years.

I equate BEV charging today to party lines from the past. Anywhere from 2-8 homes shared the same line. In California it was a misdemeanor not to yield a party line if a neighbor picked up and announced they had an emergency. Other than that, there were no rules as to length of conversation, eavesdropping, or other behavior. It was expected (implied, perhaps) that people would keep their calls <15 minutes, and that we would not listen in on our neighbor's conversations, even if it were to find out when they were done so we could use the line.

Once charging stalls and locations are abundant and ubiquitous, we can relax our protocols and etiquette, just like once private lines became the norm, we could talk for as long as we wanted without anyone eavesdropping on our calls.

I agree with the sentiment but I don't think human nature supports the good behaviors. I was on the board of a dog park for 10 years and while the rules were very clear about c

Truly you have a dizzying intellect

I believe that the occupancy of a SC in the car is only refreshed periodically. How often? Don't know. From my own experience, at least 5 minutes, perhaps as much as 15. I know that when I plug in I don't show up immediately each time. Perhaps it's ever 15 or 30 minutes by the clock so you could conceivably not see the true occupancy for the full interval or almost immediately if you show up just before a refresh.
In any event, WE should be modeling the best behaviors if we expect others to. As the M3's get released it's going to be a much more crowded world at the SC lots. I would not hesitate to call Tesla support if I was stuck at a SC that was full of cars that obviously been there all night and I needed to charge.

 

[Lloyd]

While I agree with the sentiment of unplugging and moving as soon as you are done, I have noticed on more than one occasion that my screen will report, for example, 4 of 8 stalls in use when I am the only car there. I wonder if the site really did reach 50% overnight, or was there some sort of glitch like I have been seeing in the car counter.

It shoudn't matter. He needs to unplug.

 

[brucet999]

AFAIK the policy was always "at least 50% full for idle chargers to begin accruing" -- but I suspect that once they begin accruing they don't stop doing so if say a car or two leave and occupancy drops to below 50% again.

I have left my Model S plugged in overnight at the SC in Santee, SC on my way to and from FL from NYC -- should I undertake said trip again, i will not leave myself plugged in overnight. it will add an hour to my tip but such is life.

How does that add an hour to the trip? Charge the car while having breakfast.

 

[RayW]

Did OP tell us how badly he got "burned" by Tesla?

 

[Buook]

Did OP tell us how badly he got "burned" by Tesla?

Overnight at $0.40/min... Overnight could mean something like 6-10 hours (360-600 minutes).
Sounds like he got a bill of somewhere between $144-$240

 

[Buook]

Can Tesla just start to unlock the plug after charging is complete so others can rightfully steal the plug out of a fellow's car?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Can Tesla just start to unlock the plug after charging is complete so others can rightfully steal the plug out of a fellow's car?

They could but the cables aren't that long. Most stalls can only charge a car parked in the appropriate parking space.

 

[aesculus]

A bit off topic but I wonder if once you hit the threshold the clock starts at that point and then never stops. For example it takes 2 hours before the site reaches 50% after a full charge and your clock starts. Then an hour later it never reaches 50% again until you unplug 4 hours later. So would you receive:

• 7 hours of penalty because the clock started at some point during your entire fully charged plug in period
• 5 hours because the clock did not start until 2 hours in but did not reset after the threshold dropped
• 1 hour because this was the only period of time you were plugged in when the site was over 50%

 

[Lloyd]

A bit off topic but I wonder if once you hit the threshold the clock starts at that point and then never stops. For example it takes 2 hours before the site reaches 50% after a full charge and your clock starts. Then an hour later it never reaches 50% again until you unplug 4 hours later. So would you receive:

• 7 hours of penalty because the clock started at some point during your entire fully charged plug in period
• 5 hours because the clock did not start until 2 hours in but did not reset after the threshold dropped
• 1 hour because this was the only period of time you were plugged in when the site was over 50%

Someone who has gotten a fine in those parameters would have to respond, but it is not 7 hours. My guess it would be 5 hours.

 

[pdq]

Don't leave your car at a supercharger if it's not charging, period.

Exactly.

When I've been on long trips, I'd pull in when I was at 20%, and in 35 - 45 minutes I'd be north of 75% and on my way. These are charging stations, not parking spots.

 

[TexasEV]

A bit off topic but I wonder if once you hit the threshold the clock starts at that point and then never stops. For example it takes 2 hours before the site reaches 50% after a full charge and your clock starts. Then an hour later it never reaches 50% again until you unplug 4 hours later. So would you receive:

• 7 hours of penalty because the clock started at some point during your entire fully charged plug in period
• 5 hours because the clock did not start until 2 hours in but did not reset after the threshold dropped
• 1 hour because this was the only period of time you were plugged in when the site was over 50%

According to Tesla the fee starts when the site reaches 50% occupancy-- so the answer is 5 hours. As it should be for a someone who parks at a supercharger that long.

 

[RayW]

Overnight at $0.40/min... Overnight could mean something like 6-10 hours (360-600 minutes).
Sounds like he got a bill of somewhere between $144-$240

Seems like OP would have told us if his bill was that large. Maybe there was only a 1-minute period when the SC was more than 50%, his bill is only 40-cents, and there's now 193 posts about a non-issue?
I don't know, the posts seems to purposely exclude that critical detail... almost like throwing a grenade in the "room" and walking away to see what would happen.

 

[alehbaba]

this is really a non issue. Just charge and leave the spot. Go unpack..shower or eat something and have your phone with you to notify you. done

 

[E-GAL]

I plugged in at the SC in Tremonton UT. I was the only Tesla. After unpacking my bags in the motel, I disconnected and drove to supper. Still no one else there. I came back after supper. No one. In the morning I got coffee at 6 AM and went out just to look at my sweet ride. The SC had 5 Teslas hooked up. By the time I dressed and went to breakfast, 4 of the 5 had gone. When I checked out of the motel, the SC was again empty. Lesson to me: Just because it's empty in the evening and in the morning, doesn't mean no one else showed up.

 

[FlatSix911]

Idle charges must be due to Idle hands ...

 

[Zooomer]

Let me correct those with misinformation because this thread is out of control.

1. I am not mad about the policy, I like it. It's needed. I'm simply informing people so they don't have happen what happened to me.
2. The fee is 40 cents per minute, not hour.
3. The fee happens when 1/2 of the bays are full and goes away when someone leaves. In my case, 8 bays, 3 people must have been there at some point.
4. I was not notified or even emailed. I didn't even know until I logged onto my account to check on my model 3 reservation.
5. I paid $16.40 and the invoice lists 41 units at .4 per unit. If someone wants to call me out, I'll post the invoice. Even still, this is less than a tank of gas. Electric FTW here.

To those calling me out about details.
It was 3am. I was in Lexington. I got sick in my road trip and was throwing up on the side of the road (motion sick, drove tail of the dragon).
I had to get a place and rest, it was unsafe to keep driving. I thought it was reasonable to assume a place with no one ever there, that spots would not fill up. I could not get up at 4am to move the car. I was sick. I was sleeping. I was 20 minutes away. I stayed at a friends place. To charge and move was not efficient. I'd have paid $100 at that point for an extra hour of sleep in a bed.

Here's what Elon first said about the idle fees:
Elon Musk

✔@elonmusk

We are going to modify this so that people only pay a fee if most bays are occupied. If the site is basically deserted, no problem to park.

9:52 AM - Dec 17, 2016

That is different than 50%. That is what I'm saying. I'm just posting here to inform people because Tesla/Elon has a habit of saying one thing and it changing later. Elon specifically said it was 'no problem' to park if it is deserted. That's what I did.

 

[ABC2D]

Thanks, OP for the update (finally )

I think you got nothing to complain about - the policy works as it should.

 

[smartypnz]

I dunno.... try this at a gas station and see how much it would cost you.

Anyway, what we have always done when traveling overnight is wake up - move car to an SC slot - shower - breakfast - car is charged - leave.

Yes, I understand those that leave some of those steps out, but maybe 20 minutes of charge (which should get most to the next SC).

Besides, driving a Tesla in your jammies is cool.