[Poll] P3 Free Lifetime Unlimited Supercharging vs. $5,000 Refund

[Garlan Garner]

So this is a real thing? People who paid $5,000 for a feature that's now included free, can get the $5,000 back but give up the free lifetime supercharging if they do so?

I still think very few people would use $5,000 worth of supercharging.

My name is "very few". lol

 

[Feathermerchan]

What if you didn't get free Supercharging? Then you cannot opt for $5,000 back?

 

[Garlan Garner]

What if you didn't get free Supercharging? Then you cannot opt for $5,000 back?

How could you NOT get free Supercharging.

Tesla gave it to all Performance plus Model 3 owners.

 

[Feathermerchan]

When I bought mine Sept 14 free Supercharging was only available if you had a referral and that offer only ran until Sept 16.
I think the offer started in early Sept but I don't remember the date. So there should be some who paid the $5,000 but did not receive the free Supercharging.

 

[JeffK]

There's a fundamental flaw in this thread: I don't think anybody at Tesla ever suggested that free lifetime supercharging was worth $5,000 or that Tesla ever offered to sell it for $5,000 or ever offered a deal where your choices were free lifetime supercharging vs. something they charge $5,000 for.

You mean anybody at Tesla, except Elon
Elon Musk on Twitter
Elon Musk on Twitter

 

[UltralightBeam]

Is this something where we see how many people take him up on the $5000 refund and then all of a sudden supercharger rates increase 10 fold or more in the future? I could also see this happening...

 

[JeffK]

Is this something where we see how many people take him up on the $5000 refund and then all of a sudden supercharger rates increase 10 fold or more in the future? I could also see this happening...

I've done the math and I'd have to charge solely at a supercharger for years before I'd see a ROI.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Some superchargers cost more than others. Some charge for time plugged in and others for juice delivered.

Supercharger rates could go up or down in the future. Hard to know for sure.

Like most things in life, you choose now, and find out if you made a good choice later

This is a little like buying Solar because you believe that Utility rates will continue to go up.

 

[daniel]

I thought it went away at the start of October, but don't know... what did you base your presumption upon?

Just on what I'm reading in this thread. Since I got the First Production model, not the P3D+, I have not followed the whole free supercharging thing.

You mean anybody at Tesla, except Elon
Elon Musk on Twitter
Elon Musk on Twitter

I already acknowledged upthread that I was mistaken. But I'm happy to say it again: I was mistaken. I thought this thread was based on a hypothetical. Then I learned upthread that it's an actual refund offer for people who paid for a feature that later became standard.

 

[Vines]

I wouldn't be surprised to see supercharger rates in California be $0.35-0.45/kWh in 5 years.

 

[Garlan Garner]

The only problem I see in this is that Tesla is selling supercharging under the disguise of reducing the price of the car.

If the physical materials of the car are cheaper by $5000, then what does supercharging have to do with it?



I don't really like that, however....with my scenario - it doesn't affect me.

 

[Jedi2155]

Some superchargers cost more than others. Some charge for time plugged in and others for juice delivered.

Supercharger rates could go up or down in the future. Hard to know for sure.

Like most things in life, you choose now, and find out if you made a good choice later

This is a little like buying Solar because you believe that Utility rates will continue to go up.

It is exactly like buying solar because your'e hedging your bets for free energy now, in case of more expensive energy later. Sooner or later you'll break even with Solar. Although FUSC you may or may not depending on how long you keep the car.

I wouldn't be surprised to see supercharger rates in California be $0.35-0.45/kWh in 5 years.

A distinct possibility....all that solar costs a lot to utilities they have to make up somewhere....(either through giant grid batteries they have to pay for, or raising everyone elses rates).

 

[kbecks13]

Has anyone heard anything official about this from Tesla now that it's Monday?

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

If you are in CA and have a supercharging station either near where you live or on the way to or from work, I would say fusc would be worth more than the $5K. Otherwise it is probably better to take the money amd charge at home.

Here is some basic math:
Assuming 250wh/mile, and $0.30 per kWh averaging increase is power price. Factor in 90% charging efficiency and vampire drain of 5 years.

5 years = 5×365 days = 5x365 = 1825 day in 5 years. Assuming vampire drain of 5 miles per 24 hours and full charge is 310 miles, you are using 5/310 = 0.9677% of the 80Kwh long range pack. Or 1.29kwh everyday.

Total vampire drain over 5 years is 2354.84kwh
Taking into account charging inefficiency, you are looking at: 2616.487kwh

Total cost for 5 years due to vampire drain:
$784.95.

What you are left with is what you can use the drive the car.

$5000 - 784.95 = $4215.05 for driving

This means you can charge up to:
4215.05/0.03 = 14050.18 key

Again assuming charging inefficiency, you are looking at only

12645.16kwh used to driving

Using 250wh/miles,

Then 12645.16/0.25=

50,580 miles before breaking even.

So you can see it does not take much to break even for the $5K if electricity is expensive like it is here in CA. Now you will have to factor in the wait time which is worth something to many, but if you can find things to do while waiting then it is not all that bad.

However keep in mind if electricity is cheap or you have solar which lower your electricity cost, then it can be a lot longer before breaking even. Even at $0.15 per key, you will probably have to drive 120K miles before breaking even.

 

[Lindex]

As for #4, that Santa Ana supercharger is horrible place in busy time. Parking is mixed with Main Place Shopping Mall. and there is no real line, and you can't easily tell who came first when blocked view. Tesla needs to build come kind of queue system either software or actual waiting spots.

This reminds me of Costco food court. Up until few years ago, each windows had a line. What happened is that when one employee opens a line, then whole bunch of people from the back rush to the new line. No joke, I sometimes saw how people bicker and fight over the lines for mere $1.50 hotdogs. Thank goodness, Costco now has a zig zag line for first come first serve.

And they delayed Tustin and Irvine supercharging from the end of 2017 to the end of 2018...oh wait...we still don't have those yet.

 

[DrDabbles]

"I'm a P3D+ owner. Keep my $5000, and I barely use supercharging."

 

[NathanielHrnblwr]

This is a little like buying Solar because you believe that Utility rates will continue to go up.

Not only will the utility raise the rates, they'll shift peak TOU times to when your solar is not generating. <3 CA PUC

 

[ucmndd]

I wouldn't be surprised to see supercharger rates in California be $0.35-0.45/kWh in 5 years.

Even if that comes to pass, that’s still 12,500 kWh of electricity to hit $5,000.

20,000 kWh at the current $0.26 rate.

So you’re talking between 50,000 and 80,000 miles of supercharging just to break even.

You’d have to be mental to think that’s a better deal than $5k in your pocket right now.

 

[MXWing]

If you are in CA and have a supercharging station either near where you live or on the way to or from work, I would say fusc would be worth more than the $5K. Otherwise it is probably better to take the money amd charge at home.

Here is some basic math:
Assuming 250wh/mile, and $0.30 per kWh averaging increase is power price. Factor in 90% charging efficiency and vampire drain of 5 years.

5 years = 5×365 days = 5x365 = 1825 day in 5 years. Assuming vampire drain of 5 miles per 24 hours and full charge is 310 miles, you are using 5/310 = 0.9677% of the 80Kwh long range pack. Or 1.29kwh everyday.

Total vampire drain over 5 years is 2354.84kwh
Taking into account charging inefficiency, you are looking at: 2616.487kwh

Total cost for 5 years due to vampire drain:
$784.95.

What you are left with is what you can use the drive the car.

$5000 - 784.95 = $4215.05 for driving

This means you can charge up to:
4215.05/0.03 = 14050.18 key

Again assuming charging inefficiency, you are looking at only

12645.16kwh used to driving

Using 250wh/miles,

Then 12645.16/0.25=

50,580 miles before breaking even.

So you can see it does not take much to break even for the $5K if electricity is expensive like it is here in CA. Now you will have to factor in the wait time which is worth something to many, but if you can find things to do while waiting then it is not all that bad.

However keep in mind if electricity is cheap or you have solar which lower your electricity cost, then it can be a lot longer before breaking even. Even at $0.15 per key, you will probably have to drive 120K miles before breaking even.

How does your ROI work when you also have to compete against 5000 thrown into a Vanguard total market fund?

 

[nwdiver]

When I bought mine Sept 14 free Supercharging was only available if you had a referral and that offer only ran until Sept 16.
I think the offer started in early Sept but I don't remember the date. So there should be some who paid the $5,000 but did not receive the free Supercharging.

Double check. It was retroactive. You should have it.