Burned by Tesla on idle fees. Something to know

[SeaDoc]

The clock starts ticking as soon as 50% is reached - and the charges continue until you disconnect, not when the 50% is reduced. So, it is very likely, while you were sleeping that the 50% was reached. Pay the fee and get over it... No sympathy here...

 

[Missile Toad]

Steps:

1. Plan trip to leave at time X
2. Wake up and get into car at time X
3. Wait time Y=30 minutes for wife to get into the car after 'getting ready'. Departure = X+Y
4. drive, drive, drive
5. Arrive at overnight Supercharger and plug-in for time Z (maybe 60 minutes)
6. Unplug after brushing my teeth and taking my contact lenses out (move car too)
7. Repeat steps 2 & 3, except plug-in at step #2 while waiting

So, for those without wives (or who need a husband with similar tendencies):
a. get married;
b. buy Tesla
c. bring wife on trips with you
d. Save $$$$ big-time.

Extra bonus bucks saved if you have small children.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

And move it right? Just unplugging would avoid the idling fees but would still block the access for another driver. That would be especially dickish!

I assumed that was implied, but I probably should have included that, yes.

 

[ecarfan]

In the midwest there is rarely anyone at a supercharger. So I left my car plugged in overnight while I slept (save an hour of trip time). I did this knowing there is never anyone at the station.

Never leave a Tesla plugged in overnight at a Supercharger or even unplugged and occupying a stall space. Tesla clearly does not want that to happen. That is part of the reason that the idle fees were introduced.

And “knowing there is never anyone at the station” is making an unwarranted assumption based on incomplete data. You can’t “know” that. Regardless, what matters is that a Tesla should not be parked in a Supercharger stall space for any longer than a few minutes after it has completed charging. I think you knew that.

 

[MP3Mike]

AFAIK the policy was always "at least 50% full for idle chargers to begin accruing"

Actually it was initially just idle charges start after the charge was complete regardless of how many stalls were used. Tesla quickly added the "at least 50% full" condition to make people happier.

 

[kort677]

Tesla instituted 40 cents per hour fees some time ago to alleviate congestion. People leaving cars there.

well, I travel from MI down south a lot. In the midwest there is rarely anyone at a supercharger. So I left my car plugged in overnight while I slept (save an hour of trip time). I did this knowing there is never anyone at the station.

the moral to your story is that a charging spot is not a parking spot.

 

[kort677]

While I get your directive in theory (don't occupy a supercharging spot and potentially prevent someone from a needed charge), even Tesla has endorsed the use of the SC spots by non-Tesla's.

If you are referring to places that permit non teslas to park at a SpC spot, I get what you're alluding to, however those spots almost always have 30 min. limits. not that many would actually adhere to the limits.

 

[kort677]

I was thinking the same thing...So the OP was charged about $5 at max for leaving his Tesla parked at an active stall? If it was per minute, then I feel for ya.

why do you "feel" for him?

 

[kort677]

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.

why would it have to add an hour to your trip? consider staying at a hotel that is close by or plugging in, getting a bite to eat and then check into your hotel

 

[FlyingCookie]

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.

This is a great example of how quickly a "not busy" Supercharge can become busy, actually. That Supercharger is in the middle of nowhere, at a hotel... And I was the only one there for an hour, twice. About five minutes before I left yesterday, however, four more people pulled in and it was suddenly a pretty busy Supercharger.

These sites may be calm 95% of the time, but that other 5% of the time could land at any given minute or hour of any day. The North Houston Supercharger is the same... Through the day, it's dead most of the times that I've been there. Except for when I get there and there's only one spot open and the other five have cars in them that just got there.

 

[Qbenjamin]

why do you "feel" for him?

I feel for him in regards to the amount of money that he'll have to pay. I'm not on board with people leaving their cars at the stall just for the sake of doing so. I also realize that if the OP was charged $.40 per minute X 9-12 hours ($24 per hour), then I feel for him.

 

[kort677]

I feel for him in regards to the amount of money that he'll have to pay. I'm not on board with people leaving their cars at the stall just for the sake of doing so. I also realize that if the OP was charged $.40 per minute X 9-12 hours ($24 per hour), then I feel for him.

he has only himself to blame. it was a very expensive lesson. hopefully others will learn by his misfortune.

 

[FlyingCookie]

I feel for him in regards to the amount of money that he'll have to pay. I'm not on board with people leaving their cars at the stall just for the sake of doing so. I also realize that if the OP was charged $.40 per minute X 9-12 hours ($24 per hour), then I feel for him.

I don't.

Tesla clearly states to not do exactly what he did. He broke the rules, if he got billed $140, that's what he deserves. It's just like I don't feel bad when people get reckless driving tickets, or expect people to feel bad for me when I get a ticket for doing 90 in a 75. The laws and rules are stated, he made a conscious choice to break them, and he paid the penalty. Just like I recently paid my speeding ticket.

 

[NeverFollow]

Tesla sent me a bill.
I'm like 'that's impossible' no way that station got full in the night.
(i was only one there in the morning too)
So I read policy and Tesla changed it from SC station full to 50% full.
I didn't know this. I have my doubts that it ever got 50% full but it's something to know
if you plan on leaving it plugged in at a deserted station.

> Supercharger Idle Fee
> How do I know when I’ve incurred an idle fee?
> The Tesla mobile app notifies you both when charging nears completion and again when fully done.
> Additional notifications will alert you when idle fees are incurred.

Did you received any "Additional notifications" while your car was still plugged or only received a bill later?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I just want to point out that the current thread title "Burned by Tesla on charging fees. Something to know" is inaccurate.

The OP was charged IDLE fees, not charging fees.

 

[roblab]

Never leave a Tesla plugged in overnight at a Supercharger or even unplugged and occupying a stall space. Tesla clearly does not want that to happen. That is part of the reason that the idle fees were introduced.

And “knowing there is never anyone at the station” is making an unwarranted assumption based on incomplete data. You can’t “know” that. Regardless, what matters is that a Tesla should not be parked in a Supercharger stall space for any longer than a few minutes after it has completed charging. I think you knew that.

I was at Barstow a month ago, middle of week, night. I pulled in and got my hotel room, then went to park. The only spaces available in the entire lot were the dozen or twenty supercharger spots. All superchargers were empty, all non supercharger spots were full. I plugged in, went and watched TV a bit, came down to move car. Again, all supercharger spots were empty, except the one where I was, and the rest of the lot for the hotel and Chili's were completely full.

My brother came in near midnight to charge. He tells me my car was the only one at the chargers.

So, friend, what's the solution?? I left it plugged in overnight with my cell phone number on the dash in case anyone needed a charge and all charger spots were full.

I think Tesla doesn't get upset unless at least half the charger spots are full.

 

[Max*]

OP, if you call Tesla and tell them
A. What happened
B. That while there might have been a time at night when capacity hit 50%, it wasn't the whole night, so while the fees adhere to the letter of what they promised, they weren't in the spirit of what was promised.
C. That their capacity indicator is often times wrong.

I would expect them to either wave them or at least wave part of them. Might be worth a shot. It's an expensive lesson to learn.

 

[jelloslug]

Tesla instituted 40 cents per hour fees some time ago to alleviate congestion. People leaving cars there.

well, I travel from MI down south a lot. In the midwest there is rarely anyone at a supercharger. So I left my car plugged in overnight while I slept (save an hour of trip time). I did this knowing there is never anyone at the station.

Tesla sent me a bill. I'm like 'that's impossible' no way that station got full in the night. (i was only one there in the morning too)
So I read policy and Tesla changed it from SC station full to 50% full. I didn't know this. I have my doubts that it ever got 50% full but it's something to know if you plan on leaving it plugged in at a deserted station.

I see way more people at superchargers at night than I do during the day.

 

[kort677]

I see way more people at superchargers at night than I do during the day.

is that because you do your travelling at night?

 

[Electroman]

I say - be a man. Own it up. And move on