Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Electrify America is CHEAPER than Superchargers in TN and GA, and some parts of Florida

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I recently did the CCS conversion on my Model 3, and picked up a CCS adapter. I've also been checking pricing to see how Tesla Supercharger rates compare to 3rd parties since the recent price hikes on Superchargers. Its very eye opening. I've included some photos taken from the Nav on the Model 3 showing the rates for some TN, GA and FL superchargers that I always visit. When comparing to the 3rd parties, I chose Electrify America as they seem to have the most mature and fastest network out there so far.
Their pricing model is pretty straight forward: there are two "plans", one free and one paid at $4 / month.

The "free" plan from Electrify America has the following rates in Tennessee and Georgia:
1 - 90 kW: $0.16/min
1 - 350 kW: $0.32/min

Their $4 a month plan has the following rates in TN and GA:
1 - 90 kW: $0.12/min
1 - 350 kW:$0.24/min

Now, seeing as how you're going to pull more than 90kW for the vast majority of your charging session, we're going to look at their 1-350kW rates. Even at the "free" plan of $0.32/min its FAR FAR cheaper than using a Tesla Supercharger in most areas. Lets take Pigeon Forge for example, probably one of the most expensive Superchargers I've been to in the South East.

The Tesla rate for Pigeon Forge is:
180-250kW: $1.25/min.
100-180kW: $0.76/min.

Considering that you can use a third party Electrify America Station there in Kodak (at the Harley Davidson place right off the exit) you can charge for SUBSTANTIALLY CHEAPER there than if you charged at the Pigeon Forge Supercharger. And as you can see from the screenshots of the Tesla prices in TN and GA, that same story rings true just about everywhere. Electrifiy America always beats Supercharger prices by a wide margin. In TN and GA, EV chargers are restricted to sell by the minute, as opposed to by the kWh. Buying by the kWh makes the most sense in my opinion, as it makes comparison much easier.

The story is the same in Florida, where EV chargers are allowed to sell electricity at a per kWh rate. For Electrify America (EA), they have two rates again:

The EA "free" plan is: $0.43/kWh.
The EA $4/month plan rate is: $0.31 kWh.

The average Tesla Supercharger in Florida rate is around $0.42 kWh. So, I am going to be buying the Electrify America $4 month plan, and using their network whenever I possibly can, and skipping the often times lined up superchargers. I'll pay less for the energy and won't have to wait.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5036.jpeg
    IMG_5036.jpeg
    351.5 KB · Views: 419
  • IMG_5037.jpeg
    IMG_5037.jpeg
    344.1 KB · Views: 191
  • IMG_5038.jpeg
    IMG_5038.jpeg
    313.1 KB · Views: 192
  • IMG_5039.jpeg
    IMG_5039.jpeg
    319 KB · Views: 170
  • IMG_5040.jpeg
    IMG_5040.jpeg
    312.3 KB · Views: 167
  • IMG_5041.jpeg
    IMG_5041.jpeg
    323.1 KB · Views: 161
  • IMG_5042.jpeg
    IMG_5042.jpeg
    317.2 KB · Views: 135
  • IMG_5043.jpeg
    IMG_5043.jpeg
    292.2 KB · Views: 146
  • IMG_5044.jpeg
    IMG_5044.jpeg
    345.8 KB · Views: 183
I also wanted to share that I routinely get 180kw or more at EA stations using CCS. I simply navigate to a nearby supercharger so the battery will precondition. On a recent session I pulled in with a warm battery, and at 21% SoC and was able to pull 180-ish kW for a good bit.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5090.PNG
    IMG_5090.PNG
    314.3 KB · Views: 165
  • IMG_5027.jpeg
    IMG_5027.jpeg
    533.7 KB · Views: 157
  • IMG_5030.jpeg
    IMG_5030.jpeg
    262.2 KB · Views: 139
  • IMG_5031.PNG
    IMG_5031.PNG
    322.3 KB · Views: 165
  • Like
Reactions: doc5339
To each his own, but I have no desire to use EA except only when needed. EA chargers are down all the time and unreliable. For example, the one near me has had 1 out of 4 stalls down for literally 6+ months and is often full. A quick look on the map shows stalls out of order at other chargers in the surrounding area. The 350 kW stations also sometimes do not give you more than 133 kW at peak from some of my experiences as they are limited to 350 amps (varies by station, good to see you’re getting 180 kW). The SuC network is far superior in every way IMO and unless you travel very often (which you may), any cost savings is negligible. This is also very subjective to locale and could be better in some areas than others. I know in CA EA is way cheaper. The EA pricing where I live in SC and in NC is the same as Florida above and without the monthly pass, $0.43 per kWh is not competitive here. Speed, ease of use, and a seamless experience is more important to me versus a few dollars savings, if any. But like I said to each his own, these are my own opinions and am not complaining about having more options!
 
Now, seeing as how you're going to pull more than 90kW for the vast majority of your charging session, we're going to look at their 1-350kW rates.
The rate tier that EA charges is based on the max charge rate that your car says it can achieve at the beginning of the session, so it is entirely fair to only consider the higher rates. It doesn't matter if your vehicle drops below 90kW at some point during the charging session. The ENTIRE charge session will be charged at the higher rate.
 
The rate tier that EA charges is based on the max charge rate that your car says it can achieve at the beginning of the session, so it is entirely fair to only consider the higher rates. It doesn't matter if your vehicle drops below 90kW at some point during the charging session. The ENTIRE charge session will be charged at the higher rate.
Interesting; I didn’t know this. So basically you’ll always be charged in the higher tier when using EA, unless for some reason you are charging there with a high SoC and never get above 90 kW (unlikely scenario). Whereas Tesla charges you specifically for each min in whatever tier you’re using.
 
Interesting; I didn’t know this. So basically you’ll always be charged in the higher tier when using EA, unless for some reason you are charging there with a high SoC and never get above 90 kW (unlikely scenario). Whereas Tesla charges you specifically for each min in whatever tier you’re using.
I'm not even sure that's the case. At most stations our ID4 reports a max rate of 175kW, even though it's current limit is 125kW) regardless of arrival SOC (at others it reports a far lower max--I haven't been able to find a pattern here). So even if you arrive with a high SOC, your car may still report a very high max charge rate and be put into the more expensive tier.

Here is the specific wording from the pricing info page on the app (the web site doesn't quite have this much detail):

1655570275645.png


EA has essentially divided the EV world up into two groups: older EVs like older LEAFS, Bolts, i3s, etc. and newer EVs that have 100+ kW charging speed. There aren't really "tiers" for per minute charging. Maybe we should call them "brackets". It really just depends on the vehicle you are driving.
 
Verizon is more expensive than T-Mobile.
I'm not even sure that's the case. At most stations our ID4 reports a max rate of 175kW, even though it's current limit is 125kW) regardless of arrival SOC (at others it reports a far lower max--I haven't been able to find a pattern here). So even if you arrive with a high SOC, your car may still report a very high max charge rate and be put into the more expensive tier.

Here is the specific wording from the pricing info page on the app (the web site doesn't quite have this much detail):

View attachment 818104

EA has essentially divided the EV world up into two groups: older EVs like older LEAFS, Bolts, i3s, etc. and newer EVs that have 100+ kW charging speed. There aren't really "tiers" for per minute charging. Maybe we should call them "brackets". It really just depends on the vehicle you are driving.

They actually divided the world into 3. Higher power CCS, lower power CCS, and that CHAdeMO thing they didn't really want to install anyway.
 
Just got back to Charlotte from a quick road trip to hike in West Virginia.

Supercharger pricing ranges between high $.020s to low $0.30s in North Carolina, but low $0.30s to mid $0.40s in Virginia. Highest I saw was the most northern site I charged at, Winchester, VA, at $0.44/kWh. It's a very gentrified town, and the closest in the Shenandoah Valley to D.C. As you go south, you see $0.38, $0.36, $0.35, and $0.33, although sometimes a cheaper one will be north of a more expensive one. No idea what's the reason for the exact pricing pattern.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: doc5339
And of course, the per minute rate, or per kwh rate, is not an issue when driving an S. All my charging stops are free. And few and far between with a 400-mile range. Sure, the initial cost is higher, but the extra room and the level of comfort and luxury make it a better choice if you can afford it. Wifey's 3 sits in the garage for weeks while we take the S everywhere.

Couldn't have afforded one myself if not for Tesla stock, which rose 4000% from initial purchase.
 
We did a pigeon forge trip like we usually do. Normally it would have been a $16 to $17 supercharger stop in pigeon forge to get home to Chattanooga.
We decided to try the Electrify America station in Kodak instead of the Pigeon Forge supercharger. We only paid about $4.62. That’s a substantial savings over the Supercharger. We also hit 187 kw on this charger
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5119.PNG
    IMG_5119.PNG
    276.6 KB · Views: 216
Once Upon A Time Tesla had a website where one could look up Supercharger billing rates and determine where per-minute and per-kWh apply. Can not find now. Or am I missing something?

Yes, the rate displays in the car. But not mine as I have free lifetime Supercharging.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jsight
... EA chargers are down all the time and unreliable. ...
Did a 2800 miles AZ to Cape Cod trip June 4th~8th. Used our CCS1 adapter half a dozen times during the ride. Our EA results were mixed; four places we received charges. One spot had a stanchion down and we moved to a 150kW one and got our charge. One we went to was not working.

So, four of out six were fine, one out of six not so fine and one out of six NG.

A mixed bag.

Rich
 
It doesn't seem like it'd be that hard to make them part of a clickable map on the website, just like they are in the car now. I think they don't want them to be fully publicly available for some reason.
Before they listed the States in alphabetical order with a single price per kWh or a single price for each tier per state.

Just to add that Tesla is sooooooo bad about keeping info up to date. Atlantic Station has had 10V2 and 20V3 (250 kW) stalls for a year now. They still haven't updated the website.

Screen Shot 2022-06-21 at 4.28.50 PM.png
 
Last edited:
It doesn't seem like it'd be that hard to make them part of a clickable map on the website, just like they are in the car now. I think they don't want them to be fully publicly available for some reason.

It would be nice to see the pricing when you click a pin on the Find Us page, but I think that page is rebuilt statically, and automating the ability to pull the current prices is probably low on Tesla's list of priorities.
 
I recently did the CCS conversion on my Model 3, and picked up a CCS adapter. I've also been checking pricing to see how Tesla Supercharger rates compare to 3rd parties since the recent price hikes on Superchargers. Its very eye opening. I've included some photos taken from the Nav on the Model 3 showing the rates for some TN, GA and FL superchargers that I always visit. When comparing to the 3rd parties, I chose Electrify America as they seem to have the most mature and fastest network out there so far.
Their pricing model is pretty straight forward: there are two "plans", one free and one paid at $4 / month.

The "free" plan from Electrify America has the following rates in Tennessee and Georgia:
1 - 90 kW: $0.16/min
1 - 350 kW: $0.32/min

Their $4 a month plan has the following rates in TN and GA:
1 - 90 kW: $0.12/min
1 - 350 kW:$0.24/min

Now, seeing as how you're going to pull more than 90kW for the vast majority of your charging session, we're going to look at their 1-350kW rates. Even at the "free" plan of $0.32/min its FAR FAR cheaper than using a Tesla Supercharger in most areas. Lets take Pigeon Forge for example, probably one of the most expensive Superchargers I've been to in the South East.

The Tesla rate for Pigeon Forge is:
180-250kW: $1.25/min.
100-180kW: $0.76/min.

Considering that you can use a third party Electrify America Station there in Kodak (at the Harley Davidson place right off the exit) you can charge for SUBSTANTIALLY CHEAPER there than if you charged at the Pigeon Forge Supercharger. And as you can see from the screenshots of the Tesla prices in TN and GA, that same story rings true just about everywhere. Electrifiy America always beats Supercharger prices by a wide margin. In TN and GA, EV chargers are restricted to sell by the minute, as opposed to by the kWh. Buying by the kWh makes the most sense in my opinion, as it makes comparison much easier.

The story is the same in Florida, where EV chargers are allowed to sell electricity at a per kWh rate. For Electrify America (EA), they have two rates again:

The EA "free" plan is: $0.43/kWh.
The EA $4/month plan rate is: $0.31 kWh.

The average Tesla Supercharger in Florida rate is around $0.42 kWh. So, I am going to be buying the Electrify America $4 month plan, and using their network whenever I possibly can, and skipping the often times lined up superchargers. I'll pay less for the energy and won't have to wait.
Thanks for breaking this down.

I will be making a trip to Knoxville from Los Angeles in about a week, and am surprised to see how much they increased the pricing on the pigeon forge station...

When I was there last year (the station was only a few days old) charging was only 27¢/minute and no tiers.

Last year I ended up charging at the chademo at Walmart because the tesla v2 supercharger in Knoxville was so bad.

I have a CCS adapter, and did sign up for the EA pass+, just so I could test out the energy savings using it here locally in CA. (peak rates are around 58c, where with EA pass+ you can charge at 31c... Huge savings.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: SCTes1aMan