Grandfather Free Supercharging Please

[GKwey]

According to Tesla free supercharging ends for the cars ordered after 1-1-17. This poses a serious problem for me. See I have unlimited phone data plan with Verizon. I value this data plan more than phone itself; therefore I choose to pay full price without taking advantage of any subsidy when I get new phone just to keep the unlimited data plan. By the same token I value the free supercharging a lot--which is one of the major reason I bought into Tesla. This change of free supercharging essentially would require me to keep my current Tesla forever. Which is tolerable but I really want to upgrade my Tesla every few years and Tesla really would make more money out of me by keeps selling me cars regularly. Thus it would be mutually beneficial to both parties--Tesla and its royal customers--that existing owners with free supercharging should continue to get grandfathered for free supercharging when they replace their cars. Does it make sense to you all too?

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Nope. What makes sense is Tesla makes money off of you by selling you new cars AND charging you for the suprcharging. At some point you will crack if you are the type that upgrades every so often. For those that never upgrade, grandfathering free supercharging will not change their mind about upgrading.

Simple as that.

 

[tinm]

Just because someone might be a grandfather doesn't mean they deserve free supercharging. How is that fair? What about grandmothers? Where do you draw the line?

 

[AEdennis]

According to Tesla free supercharging ends for the cars ordered after 1-1-17. This poses a serious problem for me. See I have unlimited phone data plan with Verizon. I value this data plan more than phone itself; therefore I choose to pay full price without taking advantage of any subsidy when I get new phone just to keep the unlimited data plan. By the same token I value the free supercharging a lot--which is one of the major reason I bought into Tesla. This change of free supercharging essentially would require me to keep my current Tesla forever. Which is tolerable but I really want to upgrade my Tesla every few years and Tesla really would make more money out of me by keeps selling me cars regularly. Thus it would be mutually beneficial to both parties--Tesla and its royal customers--that existing owners with free supercharging should continue to get grandfathered for free supercharging when they replace their cars. Does it make sense to you all too?

With the advent of the Model3... perhaps flipping the economics to spend less on the car and pay for the fuel might be the answer.

All current owners at this point would benefit from what you propose. However. Many of us recognize that we want Tesla to survive and thrive... free fuel is not a sustainable model and 1 trip to Vegas or SF a year for free may be tolerable. And if Tesla continues in its pledge to charge at cost, its more than fair.

 

[msnow]

No it doesn't make good business sense. They need to start charging for electricity.

 

[calisnow]

@GKwey - nope, doesn't make sense. My gut says you are in a very small minority who will keep your Tesla rather than buy another one just because of free supercharging.

 

[TrevTremaine]

The only thing being grandfathered are the cars themselves (i.e. the CPO cars built before the deadline). Otherwise you're SOL. Besides, they've not gotten rid of ALL the supercharging benefit, but rather it's limited annually from my understanding of it to roughly a single long trip.

Personally, while I do like the free supercharging, I don't see that omitting it (or for that matter, omitting rebates) as being a deal breaker. Besides, I may be loyal, but certainly not royal.

 

[AudubonB]

Does it make sense to you all too?

No.

But thank you for asking.

 

[ricci21]

I'm buying a new one now so that I have free supercharging.

 

[mspohr]

Just because someone might be a grandfather doesn't mean they deserve free supercharging. How is that fair? What about grandmothers? Where do you draw the line?

I am a grandfather and have free supercharging. I plan to keep my model S "forever" and realize that the free SC adds to its value. The free SC is for the life of the car, not the life of the owner. (Right now, it's a tossup for me as to which will live longer... I'm betting on the car.)

 

[Max*]

The free SC is for the life of the car, not the life of the owner.

Unless Tesla decides to change that.

Though, on second though, I never saw this spelled out anywhere. Do you have a link?

 

[RogerHScott]

Tesla and its royal customers

AFAIK the rules are the same for both commoners and royals. Does anyone have a list of Teslas owned by royalty around the world?

 

[msnow]

Unless Tesla decides to change that.

Though, on second though, I never saw this spelled out anywhere. Do you have a link?

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.

 

[Max*]

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.

I emphasized the key word. Once you sell it, it's not yours. It's then the NEXT owners Tesla vehicle.

If they wanted to leave out ambiguity, they'd say for the life of THE Tesla vehicle.

I'm not saying Tesla would do that, I'm just saying that link doesn't prove it one way or another.

 

[calisnow]

I am a grandfather and have free supercharging. I plan to keep my model S "forever" and realize that the free SC adds to its value. The free SC is for the life of the car, not the life of the owner. (Right now, it's a tossup for me as to which will live longer... I'm betting on the car.)

I'm suspicious that Tesla will pull some kind of nonsense a year or two from now where they somehow hobble the grandfathered cars. "Well, yes it is still technically free supercharging but you must wait in line behind all the paying Model 3's" or "Yep it's free supercharging but it is not as fast a rate as if you pay." etc. etc.

 

[freeewilly]

second thought, Tesla haven't announce the cost of super charging yet.

 

[tandrup]

The only thing being grandfathered are the cars themselves (i.e. the CPO cars built before the deadline).

Note that my CPO sales rep confirmed for me in writing that the CPO cars sold after 1/1/17 will NOT have free supercharging enabled. I think Max* is right - I would not be surprised if Tesla interprets the language very literally. It would be interesting to find out if it applies to private party transfers as well. I'm not sure... Time will tell. In the meantime, I decided to trust the CPO rep and put in an order for a 2014 CPO a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Az_Rael]

We will find out on the CPOs Jan 1 hopefully. I would assume the language on the website will change in some manner from what it says now. I was also told I needed to buy my CPO prior to Jan 1 for unlimited supercharging.

 

[gearchruncher]

If you are using supercharging enough that it makes a difference to you when buying a $100K car, then you are likely removing value from the overall charging ecosystem more than you are adding business to Tesla because you are supercharging so much.

 

[AMPd]

Unless Tesla decides to change that.

Though, on second though, I never saw this spelled out anywhere. Do you have a link?

Here we go!