Improving Supercharger Availability $0.40 idle fee

[S4WRXTTCS]

$.40/min while idling is clean and predictable. No need to wonder how long you'll be able to stay in a spot. What if you fall asleep, and 15 minutes later the stalls fill up? Maybe unlikely now, but when the M3 hits, who knows?

Plus, if it's 3a and you're taking a nap in your car, then just wake up, unplug your car, move, and go back to sleep. It will take literally 30 seconds out of your life.

Everyone is worried about the M3, but it won't impact the M3. The M3 when attached to the snake charger will just move itself.

This is some temporary stop-gap solution because the people in California are a-holes. Or more accurately the more people per mile the higher the a-hole count.

 

[AudubonB]

re: "But I'm the only one there at 3am!"

Right. And that is why in decades past you always would go to some well-lit gas station, stick the nozzle in your car's fill tube, and then go to sleep for a few hours. After all, no one else was there, right?

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

In my opinion Tesla needs to refine this $.40 charge one step further. I have no doubt in crowded metropolitan areas this is a real problem. But the majority of the superchargers in my area rarely have ANY cars in them and if they do it's usually only 1 or 2.

There's absolutely no reason why Tesla couldn't monitor how congested the supercharger station you are at is at the time of your charging completion and ONLY charge you if the station is 1/2 full or more. They could send a message something like "Your Tesla has finished charging and the station is now 1/2 full, please move your Tesla to avoid being charged $.40 a minute idle time." If my car is charged and I still am and have been the only Tesla there, what is it hurting if I finish my dinner before moving?

 

[Mattzilla]

Good idea when chargers are full. Can't say I'm thrilled about running out of a restaurant in the middle of desert to move my car from a supercharger with 7 empty spaces. Especially when it's -5f outside and the charger is 3 blocks away.

Tesla introduces $0.40/minute idle fee for Superchargers to incentivise owners to move when charging is over

2 things bother me about this.

1, my app no longer sends notifications for some reason. I've logged out, uninstalled, and verified that notifications are enabled both in the app and in general settings on my phone (new Pixel). Every other app sends notifications just fine. I don't want to get screwed because I'm not getting notified.

2, I live in a very rural area and every Supercharger I use in my part of the world is deserted. If I'm lucky, I'll encounter 1 other Tesla owner. I could leave my car parked and plugged in and it wouldn't make a difference at all. I wish this was only implemented in high population or high usage areas where it actually matters. Oh well.

 

[eyespii]

Everyone is worried about the M3, but it won't impact the M3. The M3 when attached to the snake charger will just move itself.

This is some temporary stop-gap solution because the people in California are a-holes. Or more accurately the more people per mile the higher the a-hole count.

The M3 will not be able to charge if your S is still plugged in...

 

[AudubonB]

NOTE: First and most active thread HERE: Improving Supercharger Availability $0.40 idle fee
Please refrain from continuing here until this thread can be merged with the original. Thank you.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

re: "But I'm the only one there at 3am!"

Right. And that is why in decades past you always would go to some well-lit gas station, stick the nozzle in your car's fill tube, and then go to sleep for a few hours. After all, no one else was there, right?

At some point this comparison will be valid, but it isn't today.

Charging takes 45-60 minutes or so. At least for me with a 70D depending on whether I charge to 90% or 100%.

Plus the car uses electricity to heat. So being connected to a supercharger to sleep in the middle of nowhere america for a few hours isn't a bad idea. A rested driver is a better driver.

Sure we know it wasn't going to last forever. But, some of us just think it's too early to change that just because of what is happening in California.

It's so early that there isn't even a way to supercharge my way to Alaska.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

The M3 will not be able to charge if your S is still plugged in...

Well no. The group of M3's near my S got together and told my car where to go.

But, seriously I have no issues with this where the problems are occurring.

 

[brkaus]

I believe the pay at next visit is just a starting point. They can waive fees, give warnings, etc. all while raising awareness if they do it politely.

In the future, with paid supercharging m, they will have a cc on file and will be more automatic.

This is a baby step to test the water and raise awareness.

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

re: "But I'm the only one there at 3am!"

Right. And that is why in decades past you always would go to some well-lit gas station, stick the nozzle in your car's fill tube, and then go to sleep for a few hours. After all, no one else was there, right?

Ya, that's exactly right, because it always took 30 minutes or more to fill up my car with fuel so I could reach my next fueling point 2 hours away...

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Does anyone know when this officially starts?

I believe an app update is required for the notifications to indicate that you're incurring idle fee's,

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

It would really suck to be one of those people who rent their Tesla out.

I would hate to be in a position of desperately trying to get a hold of the renters to get them to unplug the car as I see the idle fee's going up, and up.

 

[Patrick W]

...I live in a very rural area and every Supercharger I use in my part of the world is deserted. If I'm lucky, I'll encounter 1 other Tesla owner. I could leave my car parked and plugged in and it wouldn't make a difference at all. I wish this was only implemented in high population or high usage areas where it actually matters. Oh well.

I'm in the same boat. The charger I see and use the most is a 6 stall site located out in the boonies. In a year and a half of using and/or driving past it I rarely see another car there. Occasionally I'll see one there. Only once did I see two. But that's now. Once the 3s are released I'm sure that will change.

Fortunately it's less than a 5 minute run from the restaurant to the charger.

 

[AudubonB]

Ya, that's exactly right, because it always took 30 minutes or more to fill up my car with fuel so I could reach my next fueling point 2 hours away...

You get a very, very small pass because you wrote you receive your Tesla next week. Those who have had their vehicles for longer have known from the get-go SpC sites are charging sites; they never were, aren't and never will be parking sites.

Way to go popping "dislikes" as a newbie onto forum Moderators. And welcome to TMC.

 

[fiksegts]

while the concept makes sense, 5 minutes does not, clearly not enough time in many scenarios...

 

[gaswalla]

This is great!
I once was on a road trip and fell asleep during a supercharger session - would have had to pay a feeling bucks. Still a great program and glad it's starting

 

[Lump]

From FB...

 

[iffatall]

The Android app does not even make notification sounds. I always make that extra effort to vacate a spot as soon as charged, but Tesla should cover all bases before taking such steps. The app should be more functional, and notifications more configurable.

Also, I think if Tesla is not doing it for money, they should apply this only when all functional stalls at the location are in use. Surely they have this info.

 

[MP3Mike]

Does anyone know when this officially starts?

At least one person has said that they have already gotten a notification that idle charges would apply.

 

[Pwdr Extreme]

You get a very, very small pass because you wrote you receive your Tesla next week. Those who have had their vehicles for longer have known from the get-go SpC sites are charging sites; they never were, aren't and never will be parking sites.

Way to go popping "dislikes" as a newbie onto forum Moderators. And welcome to TMC.

Ya I popped "dislike" to the message, he obviously made a pretty deragotory statement towards me by saying I would sit a fuel dispenser for hours in decades past. But apparently that was okay. I had no right to say I disliked it.

Thank you for my "very, very, small pass". Much appreciated.

And I would absolutely like to clarify what I am saying. Tesla certainly has the ability to monitor congestion at their super charger locations, if the site is less than half full, why should an owner be penalized if they choose to finish their dinner, or not immediately rush away from a conversation with someone they just met, or want to catch a few extra winks? My whole entire point is what difference does it make if you are the only car there? If it's a busy station with multiple cars, absolutely you should move as soon as you are done charging.

And by the way, since I own a truck stop, I feel qualified to chime in on the subject of ICE vehicles staying at the fuel pump after fueling since it was brought up. As the owner, there have been MULTIPLE times in the middle of the night when somebody has finished fueling then came inside and struck up a conversation about Yellowstone Park, or Montana in general and before you know it a half hour has passed. During that time maybe one other car (if that) pulled up to one of the other vacant fuel pumps, got his fuel and went on his way. Do I feel like I should tell the driver chatting with me he owes me 12 bucks for blocking my fuel pump that nobody was waiting to use anyway? Absolutely not!