Cost of Supercharging

[GenoM3P]

I normally charge at home, and our electric is just .09/KW, so it's cheap. Also, I gave up my free supercharging to get a $5,000 check. Anyway, I hadn't Supercharged since last year, and only a couple of times total. I wanted to reset my battery charge per what people suggest is good occasionally. Here's what it cost...

Started with 25 miles left.
Ended with 295 miles.
Net gain 270 miles.

Tier 1 71 min at .13/min - $9.23
Tier 2 38 min at .26/min - $9.88

Total $19.11

I could fill my wife's 30 mpg Elantra for that. I'll just keep charging at home. I read where Elon said Supercharging wasn't done to make money. Pretty sure he's making money.

Still love my 3. It's the best car I've ever owned.

Geno

 

[Enginerd]

As you know, Supercharger fees vary by state. I routinely charge from say 30% to around 70% for about $5 in South Carolina. One recommendation, only charge as long as you need to get where you're going. It's faster and cheaper. Would you have had enough juice to make either your destination or the next Supercharger if you limited yourself to the first 71 minutes at Tier 1 pricing? Looking at it again, you Supercharged for 1 hour and 51 minutes? That's rarely, if ever, warranted. Certainly abnormal.

 

[Tdriver]

I agree somewhat. But they are increasing the number of superchargers nationwide which are very expensive.

 

[GenoM3P]

Yes, well, like I said it was done that one time only for the point of battery conditioning. I would certainly not do that regularly. Glad I don't have to depend on superchargers like some do.

 

[SSedan]

Yeah because all that equipment and all is free, the electricity is the only cost

 

[Kuhz]

I can guarantee you Tesla is not making money on superchargers. At least not yet and not on many sites. It costs hundreds of thousands (sometimes into the millions) of dollars to install a SC site. Also many states have demand charges, so the cost of .09 cents you pay at home is doubled, tripled, and sometimes quadrupled for high demand locations like a supercharger. Add maintenance and tear and wear. I believe superchargers will eventually make money but it’s a VERY long term investment.

 

[Gen3]

Other than installation and equipment, which is about .5 to $1 million depending on station size, demand charges are very expensive. You are also paying or speed.

You could plug in anywhere there is a normal outlet and pay only for electricity.

 

[mswlogo]

I normally charge at home, and our electric is just .09/KW, so it's cheap. Also, I gave up my free supercharging to get a $5,000 check. Anyway, I hadn't Supercharged since last year, and only a couple of times total. I wanted to reset my battery charge per what people suggest is good occasionally. Here's what it cost...

Started with 25 miles left.
Ended with 295 miles.
Net gain 270 miles.

Tier 1 71 min at .13/min - $9.23
Tier 2 38 min at .26/min - $9.88

Total $19.11

I could fill my wife's 30 mpg Elantra for that. I'll just keep charging at home. I read where Elon said Supercharging wasn't done to make money. Pretty sure he's making money.

Still love my 3. It's the best car I've ever owned.

Geno

Yeah that’s steep. But I doubt you can fill an Elantra for $19.

At $3.00 / gallon (price going up lately) 12 gallons of gas (out of a 14 gallon tank) is $36.00

And I doubt you’d get 30 mpg for the whole tank in the Elantra.

 

[GenoM3P]

Yeah because all that equipment and all is free, the electricity is the only cost

And I thought all the smart asses were on the Tesla forum.

Just thought I'd put the cost out there for information purposes. I don't give a f what he charges. I'm just saying it's not my better option. Calm down fanboys. I said I loved the damn car. Like most people, I regret I posted.

 

[OCR1]

Supercharging is definitely more expensive in California than home charging if you are on a TOU plan at home. I have yet to use a Supercharger once on my M3.

 

[ewoodrick]

I normally charge at home, and our electric is just .09/KW, so it's cheap. Also, I gave up my free supercharging to get a $5,000 check. Anyway, I hadn't Supercharged since last year, and only a couple of times total. I wanted to reset my battery charge per what people suggest is good occasionally. Here's what it cost...

Started with 25 miles left.
Ended with 295 miles.
Net gain 270 miles.

Tier 1 71 min at .13/min - $9.23
Tier 2 38 min at .26/min - $9.88

Total $19.11

I could fill my wife's 30 mpg Elantra for that. I'll just keep charging at home. I read where Elon said Supercharging wasn't done to make money. Pretty sure he's making money.

Still love my 3. It's the best car I've ever owned.

Geno

Don’t even think that Supercharger charging cost that much. You should never spend 71 minutes of Tier 1 charging. It sounds as if you may have charged to 100%, you shouldnt need to ever do this.

Generally, about an hour is the max that you should stay.

If you want to reset your battery, don’t do it on a Supercharger, do it ay home

 

[Kuhz]

Most people are aware of the cost of home charging. Same goes for supercharging, it’s right there on the screen.The issue is you baselessly stating that Tesla is making money on supercharging and the Elantra comparison.

 

[GenoM3P]

Okay, let's have 20 more posts saying the same thing. These forums are really helpful. You know everybody who posts isn't looking for an argument.

 

[duanra]

I think the OP is giving good informations. True, using the SC this way is not the more efficient, however, where the coverage is not the best, it might necessary to charge this way.
Now about Tesla making money on SC. I have no idea if they do, but I hope they will.

 

[SageBrush]

I read where Elon said Supercharging wasn't done to make money. Pretty sure he's making money.

You are wrong. Way wrong.

Read about demand charges -- which your home almost certainly does not pay but the Supercharger use does.

 

[Nocturnal]

You are not factoring in Demand charges. Say your home rate is 9 cents per kwh, the tesla station is likely being slightly more than that for kWh but also being charged for KW. Peak demand for that station will be the highest amount of combined KW for the month. So let's say 5 cars were charging at 120KW for at least 15 minutes the peak demand for that station would be 600KW. This can be calculated at a few dollars per KW (plus ancillary demand fees) up to $6 plus per KW plus another flat fee of maybe $700 (depending on local rates and the size of service). These are Kansas rates which are pretty cheap. In CA it's probably double that.

So you see 100kwh and think you should be charged 100 * 11 cents, but you also need to pay your share of the other couple grand billed to that charging station for the month. I don't think Tesla is making money, I think they are losing money on SCs.

kWh can be viewed as the volume of electricity you use, Demand/KW is how fast you are sucking up that volume. High Demand really punishes the grid and you are charged much more for the same 100 kWh if it's used over an hour compared to over 24 hours. I work in Utility billing so if anyone has questions I may be able to explain further.

Edit, I'm not trying to pile on. Most don't understand this part as residential customers don't receive these charges in most of the country. Just trying to help explain.

 

[chronopc]

I normally charge at home, and our electric is just .09/KW, so it's cheap. Also, I gave up my free supercharging to get a $5,000 check. Anyway, I hadn't Supercharged since last year, and only a couple of times total. I wanted to reset my battery charge per what people suggest is good occasionally. Here's what it cost...

Started with 25 miles left.
Ended with 295 miles.
Net gain 270 miles.

Tier 1 71 min at .13/min - $9.23
Tier 2 38 min at .26/min - $9.88

Total $19.11

I could fill my wife's 30 mpg Elantra for that. I'll just keep charging at home. I read where Elon said Supercharging wasn't done to make money. Pretty sure he's making money.

Still love my 3. It's the best car I've ever owned.

Geno

You're paying about 7 cents per mile at that charging rate. Gas in CA is now over $4 so at 30 mpg, you would be paying over 13 cents per mile.

 

[SageBrush]

You're paying about 7 cents per mile at that charging rate.

The relatively high per mile cost was because he stayed at the SC until 290 miles of charge was in the battery. OP should learn about the Supercharger taper

 

[LCR1]

Reason number 23,712 not to live in California.

 

[chronopc]

The relatively high per mile cost was because he stayed at the SC until 290 miles of charge was in the battery.

Last time I was at the Kettleman City SC, the cost was 28 cents per KwH. That comes to about 7 cents a mile. My charging at home with an EV plan is about 3 cents per mile. Either way it's still much cheaper than gas.