Possible hidden costs

[MostlyStock]

Tesla may use Model 3 owners as an on going revenue stream. This likely required to keep the price low. How would everyone feel about the following charges?

$100 - one year of map updates
$600 - one year of 4G data
$1000 - one year of local supercharging (superchargers < 60 miles from your home)

It should be noted none of this is required. You can continue to use the outdated maps for free. You can use WiFi tethering on your phone and connect to your home WiFi for other updates. Lastly you don't have to use the local superchargers (long distance superchargers would be free).

Also did I miss anything Tesla could charge yearly for?

 

[vjason]

Maps come from Google via the Internet, no charges there (assuming you have Internet). Plus you need accurate maps to lead you to Superchargers.

As to the 4G connection, that seems integral to the car experience. Would they ever break that out?

Streaming music and maps doesn't use that much data. For example, Spotify mobile uses 96kbps as the default quality for mobile apps (43mb/hour), and Google Maps about 5mb/hour. Figure 2 hours per day = ~100mb * 30 days = ~3GB. Tesla probably buys bandwidth in large pools, if not unlimited, so this cost to them isn't as bad as you think (and not everyone uses those features daily anyway).

Let's not forget, that connection is needed for OTA updates. Which prevent trips to the service center. And Tesla absolutely benefits by limiting trips to the service center.

As to what happens when the cars are outside the warranty period, who knows. Under warranty? You can bet that connection will be there.

 

[semitrack]

I think its very likely 4G/LTE wont be free. So they should atleast give us the option to tether a phone

 

[jonnyg]

Interesting topic. It might be helpful to look at it from a tech perspective as you started to do, somewhat akin to buying a new gadget like a phone, with Tesla being the phone manufacturer as well as the carrier.

-Data charges and supercharger access make sense.
-What about software updates not always being free?
-Or charging for certain software features? Like getting autopilot safety for free but charging for autopilot convenience, but in other categories that don't come to mind at the moment.
-Maybe something like the iPhone upgrade program? Pay a monthly charge and you can get the latest car every certain number of years, with maintenance included as well. Kind of locks you into being a Tesla owner like Apple does.

 

[S'toon]

I say don't start freaking out about things like this if they don't do it for the S and X. It's unlikely they'll gouge the 3 owners for stuff that the higher end users get for free. Musk wants this car to be affordable, after all. You start dinging people for stuff to make it more expensive to drive than an ICE and everyone will cancel their reservation.

 

[wbrumfiel]

I certainly hope they don't do most of these. I've read the LTE is free for 4 years and then Tesla is supposed to start charging the S/X owners as well. Not sure a) that's true and b) they have or will do it. As for the super chargers I don't see that happening. It'll either be a one time cost or a per charge fee. If people start getting nickel and dimed after purchase I foresee a lot of cancellations as well

 

[CyberKnife]

I am hoping lte connection be part of the car. I think with tesla uncertain about whether superchargers are free or not, but they may do the same with this. Tethering from a cellphone has its issues because not everyone has phones that can tether ie flip phones or older locked down smartphone that don't provide a way to tether. I prefer not to set tether on my phone every time I get in the car.

I think a hidden cost is increase in insurance premium, servicing fees (I know it's electric but most s owners has that service package).

 

[N5329K]

Aviation database updates are a real PITA, and pricey. Pilots howl over annual subscription costs, which are required (and charged) per box, not for a system as a whole. I'd hate to see anything like that show up in a system based on free Google Maps.
Read more here:
Data Upkeep For Glass: Some Cost Relief - Aviation Consumer Article
Robin

 

[Jason Bourne]

For a Model S, 4G/LTE data connection for the car is free for the first 4 years at least. Currently they have no plans to begin charging owners for the data connections, but according to a sales rep it's a possibility.

 

[gregincal]

Personally I think the odds of them including LTE and paying for the owner's data usage every month for the life of their 35K car is slim to none. Anything else is wishful thinking, IMO.

As far as maps, people need to realize that Google maps only works where you have a data connection. There are also offline maps that are not Google based that need to be updated periodically (that's what the Nav uses, because a nav that cuts out when you drive far enough away from cities would be really really bad).

 

[TaoJones]

Tesla may use Model 3 owners as an on going revenue stream. This likely required to keep the price low. How would everyone feel about the following charges?

$100 - one year of map updates
$600 - one year of 4G data
$1000 - one year of local supercharging (superchargers < 60 miles from your home)

It should be noted none of this is required. You can continue to use the outdated maps for free. You can use WiFi tethering on your phone and connect to your home WiFi for other updates. Lastly you don't have to use the local superchargers (long distance superchargers would be free).

Also did I miss anything Tesla could charge yearly for?

As a current owner, I would reject every one of these charges out of hand. What possible motivation is there to pay MORE?

 

[jkk_]

$600 for a year's worth of 4G data? How expensive 4G is in the States? First offer I found here for unlimited (unlimited data, speed capped at 150Mbps) 4G data is 264EUR for a year.

 

[S'toon]

Maybe they'll make you lease the battery like some other manufacturers do.

 

[gregincal]

As a current owner, I would reject every one of these charges out of hand. What possible motivation is there to pay MORE?

That's fine. The car will still drive just fine without internet access. There could easily eventually be that choice with the Model S/X as well.

 

[diamond.g]

That's fine. The car will still drive just fine without internet access. There could easily eventually be that choice with the Model S/X as well.

How would AP learn if there is no Internet connection?

 

[Big-T]

I guess I'm thinking of hidden costs more like

- How much is it going to cost to put a wall charger in the house ($600ish?)
- How much is charging at home going to add to my electric bill (from the tesla site I get about $350 per year)
- Am I going to buy into the Tesla maintenance plan ($2,100 for 4 years of prepaid maintenance)
- How much will my insurance go up on a $40,000 vehicle vs my current 2008 Mitsubishi that's worth maybe $7,000 now.
- Am I going to love the car so much (as others have said) that I"m going to wash it way more often than I wash my car now? At $10 per week that's over $500 per year
- Similar to the above will I go with that opticoat paint protectent that I hear so much about in the forums?
- Will the windows be tinted standard? If not what's that going to run me?

 

[arjay]

Tesla may use Model 3 owners as an on going revenue stream. This likely required to keep the price low. How would everyone feel about the following charges?

$100 - one year of map updates
$600 - one year of 4G data
$1000 - one year of local supercharging (superchargers < 60 miles from your home)

It should be noted none of this is required. You can continue to use the outdated maps for free. You can use WiFi tethering on your phone and connect to your home WiFi for other updates. Lastly you don't have to use the local superchargers (long distance superchargers would be free).

Also did I miss anything Tesla could charge yearly for?

NFW!

 

[plankeye]

After 4 years, Tesla might only allow OTA updates, map access and their access to AP data. Any other uses would be extra $.

 

[Jason S]

I think its very likely 4G/LTE wont be free. So they should atleast give us the option to tether a phone

Already do give that option for Model S and it was via a software update. So I expect same of Model 3. Not even sure they'll give us free cellular on Model 3 given how widespread wireless is now.

 

[MostlyStock]

Maps come from Google via the Internet, no charges there (assuming you have Internet).

One of the many fallacies today is just because something is free for you in one case doesn't mean it's free all around. You may want to check the terms of use on the Google maps page. Tesla is definitely giving Google something for map data.