I think there are variations because Tesla is trying to be fair and charge just the proper margin over what they have to pay for electricity in the various areas. They could take the highest price and apply that everywhere, which means that most people would pay an even higher price. It's a theory, I have no proof, but it's the theory I choose to believe at the moment.
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Supercharger Pricing Map?
- Thread starter LoudMusic
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- supercharger
I updated my U.S. Supercharger pricing map to account for the Nov 2021 change to the pricing structure at $/minute Supercharger locations. There is much more parity now between per-minute and per-kWh locations/states.
As before, I used a formula to convert $/minute prices to $/kWh. This time the formula is rather complex (due to having more tiers), so I'm not going to try to describe it in detail, but it factors in the price of each tier as well as the max kW available at each location. And for $/kWh locations with peak and off-peak rates, I just took the average of the two. Actual average prices at per-minute and peak/off-peak locations will vary based on the actual charging speeds and times.
I switched to a monochromatic color scale and added text of each average price to make it more intuitive to read.
I also created a map that shows how much the average effective $/kWh prices increased in the $/minute states when Tesla changed the per-minute pricing tier structure in Nov 2021. Again, these figures are based on the formulas that I came up with to convert $/minute prices to $/kWh, so these values are just approximations and will vary based on actual charging speeds.
As before, I used a formula to convert $/minute prices to $/kWh. This time the formula is rather complex (due to having more tiers), so I'm not going to try to describe it in detail, but it factors in the price of each tier as well as the max kW available at each location. And for $/kWh locations with peak and off-peak rates, I just took the average of the two. Actual average prices at per-minute and peak/off-peak locations will vary based on the actual charging speeds and times.
I switched to a monochromatic color scale and added text of each average price to make it more intuitive to read.
I also created a map that shows how much the average effective $/kWh prices increased in the $/minute states when Tesla changed the per-minute pricing tier structure in Nov 2021. Again, these figures are based on the formulas that I came up with to convert $/minute prices to $/kWh, so these values are just approximations and will vary based on actual charging speeds.
Sigh... Looks like $/kWh prices just changed too.
However, on the bright side, unlike the recent change to $/minute pricing, this one might result in a net decrease in prices.
For example, up until last week all IL superchargers were either $0.36 or $0.37/kWh and the average was $0.368/kWh. Now they range from $0.30-$0.38/kWh and the new average is $0.336/kWh. Most went down in price, but some went up. Only 2 out of 32 didn't change at all.
Looking around at some other random locations in other states, it looks like many (most?) other per-kWh locations changed as well. However, the price changes in other states aren't as overwhelmingly in the direction of price reductions as in IL. Some went up, some went down, some stayed the same. From a quick sampling of a handful of random locations, the biggest increase I found was +$0.04 in St. George, UT and the biggest decrease I found was -$0.12 in Hines, OR. But that's from a very small sample size, so idk what the average change is.
However, on the bright side, unlike the recent change to $/minute pricing, this one might result in a net decrease in prices.
For example, up until last week all IL superchargers were either $0.36 or $0.37/kWh and the average was $0.368/kWh. Now they range from $0.30-$0.38/kWh and the new average is $0.336/kWh. Most went down in price, but some went up. Only 2 out of 32 didn't change at all.
Looking around at some other random locations in other states, it looks like many (most?) other per-kWh locations changed as well. However, the price changes in other states aren't as overwhelmingly in the direction of price reductions as in IL. Some went up, some went down, some stayed the same. From a quick sampling of a handful of random locations, the biggest increase I found was +$0.04 in St. George, UT and the biggest decrease I found was -$0.12 in Hines, OR. But that's from a very small sample size, so idk what the average change is.
Idk why I keep wasting my time chasing this ever-moving target 
, but here are updated Supercharger pricing maps for the US.
The first map shows the current (Jan 2022) average price by state, and the second shows the average change in price compared to Oct 2021 (before the per-minute prices changed in Nov 2021 and before many of the per-kWh prices changed in Dec 2021).
Notes:
(1) As before, I used a rather complex formula to convert $/min rates into $/kWh, so actual prices will vary somewhat based on the specifics of each charging session
(2) Also as before, prices at Superchargers with peak/off-peak pricing are recorded as a simple average of the peak and off-peak rates,
(3) I've only recorded the prices from ~75% of individual Supercharger locations (with most of the missing ~25% coming from CA, FL, and TX), so it's possible the average prices presented might be off by a cent or so in a few states.)
(4) Happy to note that all 50 states (+DC) are now represented now that Hawaii has its first public Supercharger.
, but here are updated Supercharger pricing maps for the US.The first map shows the current (Jan 2022) average price by state, and the second shows the average change in price compared to Oct 2021 (before the per-minute prices changed in Nov 2021 and before many of the per-kWh prices changed in Dec 2021).
Notes:
(1) As before, I used a rather complex formula to convert $/min rates into $/kWh, so actual prices will vary somewhat based on the specifics of each charging session
(2) Also as before, prices at Superchargers with peak/off-peak pricing are recorded as a simple average of the peak and off-peak rates,
(3) I've only recorded the prices from ~75% of individual Supercharger locations (with most of the missing ~25% coming from CA, FL, and TX), so it's possible the average prices presented might be off by a cent or so in a few states.)
(4) Happy to note that all 50 states (+DC) are now represented now that Hawaii has its first public Supercharger.
I totally can appreciate the "why do I keep putting effort into this ..." type of sentiment.Idk why I keep wasting my time chasing this ever-moving target
I just wish there was some way to be able to look easily up the price for a given location so someone wouldn't need to take the time it takes to create something like this.
Before anyone says you can see pricing in the car by pressing on the icon for a specific location, that only works if you pay for supercharging. If you're like me and happen to be grandfathered into free supercharging, then this doesn't work as it does not show any pricing. The only way I've found to see what the cost would be is do download my historical charging reports off my owners account. This only works for the ones that are several months old where I can get a detailed csv file downloaded the just happens to include the unit costs per minute/kWh even though it shows my quantity billed to be zero.
While I have free supercharging, I'd like to be understanding better what representative costs would be for some of the trips I take as part of my beginning evaluation on when I may want to replace my car. I can evaluate my projected fuel costs for an ICE by using the manufacturers mpg estimates. I'd similarly like to be able to project my increased ownership cost if I decide to upgrade to a new MS LR. I realize charging cost is not the ultimate make or break item in that consideration, but for me supercharging on trips is about 45% of my total miles traveled, so not insignificant.
While I appreciate @jsmay311 taking the time to do this, I really wish he didn't need to invest the time he does so I can get a sense of energy costs while traveling.
RTPEV
Active Member
I have no idea where they get their cost numbers from and how accurate they are, but abetterrouteplanner.com will give cost estimates for trips that you plug into it (for Tesla and non-Tesla). It might not be highly accurate, but probably as accurate as estimates you are going to get for ICE vehicles given volatility in gas prices.
Agreed. But for whatever reason, Elon decided a few years ago that he doesn't want Supercharger pricing information easily available to the public.
So it is what it is. (Until he changes his mind, or until someone builds a GasBuddy-type app/website/tool that would allow Tesla owners to crowdsource this info.)
Yeah, ABRP's pricing info is definitely not accurate. And they've been upfront about this.
I just checked ABRP prices in a random 25 states, and 24 out of those 25 looked to be pegged at either $0.28/kWh or $0.26/minute. And many of the states using $0.26/minute prices aren't actually per-minute states anymore, so all those states are dramatically underpriced in ABRP currently.
The only state I found that deviated from the $0.28/kWh or $0.26/minute flat rates was Illinois, which they have pegged at $0.37/kWh, which was actually pretty accurate up until the price changes about a month ago. So they're customizing prices in at least one state. Not sure why IL tho.
RTPEV
Active Member
It's possible that they aren't as up on the updates being made to US Supercharger pricing as those here who are following it. Maybe I will suggest that they do a revision to their pricing model.
While it would be nice to get a detailed estimate of the cost, for some purposes a certain level of inaccuracy would be tolerable, especially when comparing to gas prices to use as a determining factor in a future car purchase, as appears to be the case in a different thread. It is interesting to me to see the level of scrutiny being given to the cost of road trips in electric cars, as if we ever did such a detailed analysis of how much it would cost in a gas car!
Well i don't think we buy gas cars wih the expectation that they will be less expensive to operate.
At 37 cents per kwh, 275 wh/mi, and gas at $3.10/gallon, we are paying the cost equivalent of a car that gets just over 30mpg. Not bad, but not really good either. Expect to save when you charge at home, not at superchargers.
I would contend that some consumers have and do factor in cost for gas car. The difference is that this really all goes down to what is the estimated MPG values when comparing between alternatives. In the case of looking at an EV there then becomes two key variables; the base efficiency, whether measured in MPGe or Wh/mi and then the cost for the charging infrastructure.
For comparison, I can go directly to Electrify America's site and quickly look at what their cost is for a given region.
Pricing and Plans for EV Charging | Electrify America
Electrify America aims to keep prices low while providing more electric vehicle chargers, with faster speeds, in better locations across the U.S. Learn about our pricing.
Tesla provided this in exactly the similar fashion back a couple years ago. but as stated above, made the decision that they no longer felt obligated to provide in as easily and publicly accessible manner.
The last I was aware, Supercharging prices also vary by time of day, as this affects the electricity rate paid by Tesla and also the level of congestion. If you arrive at a Supercharger during the early evening peak period, expect to pay more than midday or late at night. I will try to pay closer attention to SC pricing on our next long drive.
RTPEV
Active Member
I agree the majority of us don't, but another user in another thread was trying to determine whether they should get an EV or an ICE vehicle as their next car and was trying to get detailed pricing info on Superchargers to help with that decision. I find that very interesting (and shortsighted) given the expected volatility in the price of gas in even just a year's time, much less a decade!
Tesla does have Time-of-Use pricing for superchargers, but not at all locations. It's more prevalent in California than elsewhere so far, but it's been seen in a number of different states. I'm not sure about whether the practice is also in use outside the US. But if not yet, then I imagine it will be eventually.
Having just driven through UT/WY/NE (thankfully, NOT SD) and see the volume of wind power (I thought those things caused cancer?) I wonder why the cost of energy delivery for Tesla at SC's is up the absolute MOST in the country and overall getting pretty on par with other states? certainly harmonizing the price of SC charging across all states does not make any sense, other than 'we can".
RTPEV
Active Member
I should also add that while we as people familiar with how EVs work and how much they cost to operate would not use a tool like ABRP as a decision making tool, there are plenty of people out there that still don't understand the economics of EVs. Usually I point them to ABRP to simulate routes they take so they can see firsthand the impact that driving an EV will have on their travel time, or even let them compare different EV models. But the fact that it also provides a cost estimate (as inaccurate as it is) helps drive home the point that electric travel is also much less expensive than gas travel.
And even among EVs (or at least Tesla EVs vs. non-Tesla EVs) I should say, the cost difference can be significant.
I have done an analysis over the past 18 months of different vehicles along different routes (using ABRP), with the intent of tracking how vehicles and charging networks are improving over time. I have a lot of data and struggle with the best way to present it, but someone on Quora asked for a comparison of the Kia EV6 and the Tesla Model Y, so I summarized my most recent findings. The cost difference between the Supercharger and non-Supercharger charging networks is somewhat staggering (albeit, as we have discussed, the ABRP Supercharger cost model might be significantly under-predicting the cost):
Trip 1 (286 miles; almost all highway):
And even among EVs (or at least Tesla EVs vs. non-Tesla EVs) I should say, the cost difference can be significant.
I have done an analysis over the past 18 months of different vehicles along different routes (using ABRP), with the intent of tracking how vehicles and charging networks are improving over time. I have a lot of data and struggle with the best way to present it, but someone on Quora asked for a comparison of the Kia EV6 and the Tesla Model Y, so I summarized my most recent findings. The cost difference between the Supercharger and non-Supercharger charging networks is somewhat staggering (albeit, as we have discussed, the ABRP Supercharger cost model might be significantly under-predicting the cost):
Trip 1 (286 miles; almost all highway):
- Model Y: 4:53; 1 stop for 0:07; $5
- EV6: 4:53; 1 stop for 0:07; $8
- Model Y: 11:00; 3 stops for 0:51; $19
- EV6: 11:24; 3 stops for 0:53; $44
- Model Y: 14:37; 4 stops for 1:23; $39
- EV6: 14:21; 3 stops for 1:12; $54
- Model Y: 50:57; 22 stops for 6:45; $160
- EV6: 54:18; 22 stops for 7:01; $298
- Model Y: 50:09; 21 stops for 6:55; $137
- EV6: 48:44; 19 stops for 5:56; $317
GlmnAlyAirCar
Active Member
Thanks for putting all of this together. I would have never thought Pennsylvania would be the cheapest supercharging state.
I'm not sure the cost of non-supercharger networks is that staggering in comparison. If you look at the Electrify America rates, they appear pretty comparable if you are a Pass+ member.
A few states for comparison:
| State | Supercharger network | Electrify America / Pass+ |
| California | 0.36 | 0.43 / 0.31 |
| Illinois | 0.34 | 0.43 / 0.31 |
| Florida | 0.31 | 0.43 / 0.31 |
| New York | 0.36 | 0.43 / 0.31 |
Pass+ is a $4 a month fee, but for someone that needs to use for say 1,000 miles a month, that works out to something like $0.02 per kWh. Add that to the $0.31 Pass+ rate and right in line with Tesla rates.
RTPEV
Active Member
Yes, and if you only need to use it for 1500 miles a year, like we do (we do 95% of our charging at home) and take one (or maybe two) long distance trips a year, a Pass+ doesn't make sense.
I do agree that for regular users a Pass makes sense, and I am glad they have such a provision. Apartment dwellers and others that cannot charge at home need such a pricing tier.
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