supercharger cost per kWh versus per minute

[peterfd]

The Victoria BC Canada Supercharger cost $C0.48 per minute at charge rates over 60 kW and $C 0.24 below 60 kW.
At a charging rate of 60 kW, the energy into the battery is 60 kWh for one hour of charging or 1 kWh per minute of charging.
The cost of residential power in BC is $C 0.14 cents per kWh (Step 2).
Residential Rates

Thus the cost of power at this Supercharger is almost double the residential rate when charging at just below 60 kW
$C 0.24 compared to $C 0.14
and more than triple the residential rate when charging just above 60 kW.
$C 0.48 compared to $C 0.14

In my experience, the maximum charge rate of this Supercharger is 67 kW.

I tried to turn down the maximum charge rate to just below 60 kW, but it appears the Supercharger over-rides the maximum current limit setting.

So I am stuck paying triple the residential rate for Supercharging in Victoria BC.

I understand that per kWh billing will be coming to BC at some point but in the meantime,
how do I reduce the charge rate to just below 60 kW?

 

[AMPd]

You can’t really, no way of controlling the supercharger charge rate, that I’m aware of.

 

[TexasEV]

That’s not a bug, that’s a feature. Supercharging rates are supposed to be higher than residential rates. People who can charge at home should charge at home. The two tiers are to approximate per kWh fees in jurisdictions that don’t allow it, but it’s a crude workaround.

 

[ewoodrick]

Not sure what you are complaining about. Supercharging is supposed to be more expensive. If nothing else, you are paying for the speed.
If you don't luli it, then don't use the Supercharger.

When I do the math, charging at 500 mph is 125 kW, and that does actually sound similar or cheaper

 

[Rocky_H]

Thus the cost of power at this Supercharger is almost double the residential rate when charging at just below 60 kW [...] So I am stuck paying triple the residential rate for Supercharging in Victoria BC.

Uh...yeah...it's supposed to cost more than residential electricity. These things cost a few hundred thousand dollars to install, and there is ongoing repair and maintenance expense.

In my experience, the maximum charge rate of this Supercharger is 67 kW.

Seems about right-ish. This is one of the 72kW maximum urban style Superchargers. I'm wondering if you were over half full on your battery or it may have been a little cold. That could make it be a little lower than 72kW.

 

[Solarman004]

One other thing to consider: at home you are most likely on a residential rate paying a flat rate per unit of energy (kWh). Commercial rates are typically both an energy consumption rate (per kWhs used for the month), plus a demand rate (based on the highest peak power, W, in a 15 min period for that month). And Tesla is paying the combined demand rate for all stations at that supercharger. So if every station is being used simultaneously at a high charging rate, the demand fee will be huge for that month.
Demand rates can be quite high depending on the utility. It's not a fair comparison to match a residential energy rate against a commercial demand rate tariff.

 

[nwdiver]

So I am stuck paying triple the residential rate for Supercharging in Victoria BC.

Do you also find it odd that bread is ~3x the cost of the grain in the bread? Bakeries aren't free. Neither are superchargers. If you want to pay less for bread buy a bread maker. If you want to pay less for electricity use L2.

 

[peterfd]

I agree that the cost needs to be higher than residential rates.
However, at the 67 kW urban supercharger, I am paying the same $C$0.48 per minute that I would pay at a 120 kW supercharger.
The price break $C0.48 per minute at charge rates over 60 kW and $C 0.24 below 60 kW makes the 67 kW urban superchargers almost twice as expensive as the highway 120 kW superchargers.

 

[ucmndd]

I agree that the cost split is in a rather unfavorable place for urban chargers and makes them a far worse value.

Now that the regular v2 sites go to 150kw, perhaps the right thing to do is to change the threshold from 60kw to 75kw. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.

The real solution is to get government out of the way and let Tesla sell electricity by a metric that actually makes sense. Have you lobbied your government representatives?

 

[peterfd]

The BC provincial government has been asked but has not acted yet ...
kW Pricing arrives in BC – another link