Got this email from George B today...
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the note. It is greatly appreciated.
Let me explain a little further. There is nothing hidden going on here, and the explanation is very straightforward. We had hoped to announce the Supercharger network in July. It was impossible to do so. We had to delay the launch until September. If we had launched in July, the prices for Supercharging would have been:
85 kWh No charge
60 kWh $2000
40 kWh Not available
We needed to start configuring cars for customers with General Production reservations in July (this was not an issue prior to that because all Signature cars have 85 kwh batteries). So we looked ahead and made the decision to put the hardware and software needed to enable Supercharging into all cars to make sure if anyone who opted for a 60 kWh battery wanted to enable Supercharging they would be able to. We put on the web in the options & pricing page and the Design Studio that the hardware and software necessary to Supercharge was included on 60 and 85 kWh cars. We did that specifically so anyone who selected a 60 kWh battery back in July, August, or up until now in September would have the exact same option as someone who had not yet configured their car. They would have the option today to choose Supercharging, decline Supercharging, or even get a different battery...the only difference, we would keep their original delivery timing, no matter what choice they made.
Then we decided to do something extra for these customers who had already configured, and we decided last night at about 11:30pm eastern time, that we would go ahead and pay for half of the cost. So, we are not only making it possible to make the same decision now as they would have been able to make back in July, we are making it even better...you can enable Supercharging for half price and still keep your original delivery date.
This is not a negative. We have taken those who would have had to pay $2,000 up until now and made it possible for them to enable Supercharging if they want to for half the price. They don't have to enable Supercharging if they don't want to. But if they do want to, they can do it for half price.
I hope you see this as a reasonable response. The announcement today is actually giving a large number of customers who have already configured their car the option to enable Supercharging on their car for half the price it would have otherwise cost...if they want to. And it's fine if they don't want to. If they want to they are better off. If they don't want to they are in the exact same position as they would have been otherwise.
Again, thanks for your note. I appreciate every customer who gives me the chance to explain what is really going on before overreacting.
Have a great weekend! George
On Sep 28, 2012, at 9:42 PM, "Mark Peterman" wrote:
George-
I am a big fan of Tesla and have been talking to everyone I meet about the model S. I took the maintenance costs in stride even though it seemed excessive in light of the repeated claims of low cost of maintenance for EV. Now with the switch from “included” to $2000 for supercharging, I am beginning to doubt Tesla can be trusted. I am realistic and want to believe that there is a reasonable explanation, but I am concerned by reading on the forums how Tesla reps were implying the Elon misspoke at the Supercharger launch about an additional cost. It seems hard for me to believe that this is good business practice. I would really appreciate a reply or blog post next week explaining this change in a way that will repair my opinion of Telsa.
Best wishes,
Mark
P9318
