Tesla, please enable pay-per-use supercharging for original 40/60kWh cars

[zdre]

Original 60kWh buyers were given an option to purchase unlimited supercharging for $2,000, while 40kWh were not given the option at all. All of the cars that did not purchase supercharging actually have the necessary hardware.
Now that pay-per-use is implemented, it would be a great gift for the early Tesla supporters for Tesla to enable the ability to supercharge with the new pay-per-use pricing.

This would give Tesla an ability to claim that the entire Model S/X fleet can use the network for long-distance travel. Tesla does not even have to put out any money for this, as no one would expect the 400 kWh yearly credit for these cars.

There are most likely not that many cars on the road that still do not have unlimited supercharging, and their owners are used to not relying on the supercharging network, so the additional utilization of superchargers would be minimal. However, it would provide great value and flexibility of having no-compromise vehicles.

 

[TexasEV]

No, any 60 not yet enabled can pay the $2000 as the rest of us 60 owners did at the time if purchase, or rather the $2500 that it cost afterwards. As for 40s, they don't have enough range to easily make it from one supercharger to the next anyway.

Remember the fee wasn't for electricity-- it was for DC charging hardware and software in the car. Kind of like how autopilot hardware is in all cars now but only activated when paid for.

 

[MP3Mike]

I think you should just have to pay the $1,900 to enable the DC fast charging hardware, which allows the CHAdeMO adapter use, and by doing that you would get added to the 400kWh/year Supercharging plan. What do you say @JonMc?

Edit: Actually they don't allow that on the 40kWh cars do they? You have to pay $10,000 to upgrade to unlock the full 60kWhs first. So I guess the option should just be for the original Model S 60 owners.

 

[BerTX]

I thought that was a hardware component, and that was part of the $2000 upgrade fee? I didn't think Tesla could just flip a software switch to turn it on.

 

[MP3Mike]

I thought that was a hardware component, and that was part of the $2000 upgrade fee? I didn't think Tesla could just flip a software switch to turn it on.

The hardware is already there, it just isn't enabled. We have had at least one person report that he was out of charge without any Level 2 chargers available in a Model S 60 and Tesla remotely enabled him to Supercharge that one time as a courtesy.

 

[IdaX]

Maybe there should be a lower-level possibility, between no supercharging for free and unlimited supercharging for $2000. Like, $1000 for paid supercharging.

 

[TexasEV]

I thought that was a hardware component, and that was part of the $2000 upgrade fee? I didn't think Tesla could just flip a software switch to turn it on.

That was the initial idea, then before any 60s were shipped Elon announced that all would be produced with the hardware and could be activated at any time. Supposedly to help with resale value, more likely it just simplified production to have the hardware in all cars. And I can't imagine anyone ordering a 60 without it, though apparently some did in states where there weren't plans for superchargers yet.

 

[zdre]

No, any 60 not yet enabled can pay the $2000 as the rest of us 60 owners did at the time if purchase, or rather the $2500 that it cost afterwards. As for 40s, they don't have enough range to easily make it from one supercharger to the next anyway.

If the owner has not yet enabled unlimited charging already (3 years later), they are very unlikely to pay $2500, or even $1900 to enable it. They do not need unlimited supercharging. However, they would benefit from occasional charging when in a pinch or on a very rare trip. If the 40 can't make it, that is not a reason to restrict them from paying to supercharge when necessary.

 

[zdre]

Actually they don't allow that on the 40kWh cars do they?

There is no technical limitation of supercharging 40kWh cars. The 60kWh battery would just stop charging at 40kWh.

 

[ThisIsTrue]

Seems like a bad precedent to set: "You can pay less for the car even though the hardware is there, but if you want to use it you have to pay the difference" to "Well, OK, we'll just give it to you." So the compromise to offer it for a lower price, but without unlimited free, seems fairly reasonable.

 

[CHG-ON]

It would be totally unfair for us earlier adopters, who paid for the privilege, to not have the 60's and 40's pay for it.

Sorry.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

What is the cost today to upgrade your software limited 40 to a 60?

It used to be extremely expensive.

But, today it only cost an additional $3K if you want a 100D over an 90D and the real jump in battery is actually close to 15kw.

Too bad the OP didn't turn it in with the resale guarantee because then they could have likely bought it back as an 60 with supercharging enabled without paying too much more, and it would include a CPO warranty.

 

[whitex]

it would be a great gift for the early Tesla supporters for Tesla to enable the ability to supercharge with the new pay-per-use pricing.

How about people who did pay, are you suggesting they get a refund of $2000 or $2500 that they paid for it? Or maybe some pro-rated amount, like $1500?

There is no technical limitation of supercharging 40kWh cars. The 60kWh battery would just stop charging at 40kWh.

Not all 40's came with the hardware, so a SC visit to install it was required (I met one owner who did it, he upgraded to 60 and then had to install the DC charging hardware). Maybe the $10K upgrade to 60 included the charging hardware if it wasn't there, I don't remember.

I think you should just have to pay the $1,900 to enable the DC fast charging hardware, which allows the CHAdeMO adapter use, and by doing that you would get added to the 400kWh/year Supercharging plan. What do you say @JonMc?

Edit: Actually they don't allow that on the 40kWh cars do they? You have to pay $10,000 to upgrade to unlock the full 60kWhs first. So I guess the option should just be for the original Model S 60 owners.

Correct, 60 upgrade ($10K) was required before DC charging and/or SC charging could be enabled. $1900 for DC charging, $2500 for DC+SC (post delivery, pre-delivery it was $2K for DC+SC). Not all 40's had the DC hardware, so some required installing it.

That was the initial idea, then before any 60s were shipped Elon announced that all would be produced with the hardware and could be activated at any time. Supposedly to help with resale value, more likely it just simplified production to have the hardware in all cars.

Any time yes, does not mean instantly. I upgraded in Jan 2014, it took over 24hrs for a tech to log in and do some "tuning".

And I can't imagine anyone ordering a 60 without it, though apparently some did in states where there weren't plans for superchargers yet.

Why not?I didn't get it with my first car because I didn't have any SC's along any routes I drove. I ended up purchasing it because I wanted a ChaDeMo adapter that was supposed to be available in winter 2013, and Tesla had a special where SC was only $100 more over enabling DC for ChaDeMo. The ChaDeMo adapter came in 2015 just before I sold that car, never once having visited a supercharger (or ChaDeMo charger either).
I have used SC in my current car on a coast to coast trip recently, but until recently wasn't enough superchargers to do that trip with SC's, so I would not have even attempted it in 2013. So today, I would buy SC, but back in 2013 not really.

 

[stopcrazypp]

It would be totally unfair for us earlier adopters, who paid for the privilege, to not have the 60's and 40's pay for it.

Sorry.

Yep. That's the problem I see. It's not fair to the people that paid more for activating the hardware/software for supercharging. Giving the ability to supercharge away for free just makes that a farce.

 

[zdre]

It would be totally unfair for us earlier adopters, who paid for the privilege, to not have the 60's and 40's pay for it.

Pay-per-use was not an option at the time.The $2000 extra that people paid for unlimited charging also can't be directly compared to the pay-per-use charging, especially if it would not include the 400kWh yearly credit. I agree that some smaller fee to "activate" the hardware would make sense though.

Yep. That's the problem I see. It's not fair to the people that paid more for activating the hardware/software for supercharging. Giving the ability to supercharge away for free just makes that a farce.

I was not previously aware of the $1900 to enable CHAdeMo charging. I don't believe there would have been a significant number of takers, if any, for this option. I am not saying it would be 100% fair for people who purchased it, but it would be nowhere near an equivalent benefit for "free". The fairness of Tesla's changes is a sensitive topic, especially considering that just recently, the limited 60kWh cars came for a cheaper base price than the original 60s 3 years ago, but the newer ones had unlimited supercharging included.

 

[Max*]

Pay-per-use was not an option at the time.The $2000 extra that people paid for unlimited charging also can't be directly compared to the pay-per-use charging, especially if it would not include the 400kWh yearly credit. I agree that some smaller fee to "activate" the hardware would make sense though.

This might be a decent compromise. Pay $1k to activate supercharging and then it's pay-per-use. Or pay $2k and get unlimited supercharging.

Otherwise it's completely not fair to the people who did pay for it.

 

[Xolt]

The price should not drop or be given away for free for the people who didn't pay up front as Tesla would not be crediting people who paid at purchase. That cost paid was at a premium to help support and develop the network. I would not expect Tesla to be upgrading my P90D to P100D in a few years.

 

[trigga71]

A while back a 40kWh with Supercharging was for sale here on the forums. He did say it was enabled by Tesla.
It would be a nice gesture if Tesla did allow it on the 40kWh cars. It would be in their best interest to try and recoup the loss on the 40kWh, I can't imagine too many still around. As for a 60 that is eligible for lifetime Supercharger access I would think most would just enable it.

 

[MarcusMaximus]

This admittedly doesn't affect me much either way(though I guess that makes me an impartial observer), but I'm not really seeing how, even if the switch were free, this would be unfair to drivers that paid for it before. There's two separate benefits they still got over those who didn't pay the $2000:

1. Supercharging for the last 3-4 years. The others who didn't pay the $2000 went several years without any supercharger availability, making any kind of road trip essentially unfeasible.

2. Unlimited *free* supercharging both for those 3-4 years and into the foreseeable future. We're talking about having the others pay > utility rates for the charge they get, not giving them supercharging for free.

 

[stopcrazypp]

This admittedly doesn't affect me much either way(though I guess that makes me an impartial observer), but I'm not really seeing how, even if the switch were free, this would be unfair to drivers that paid for it before. There's two separate benefits they still got over those who didn't pay the $2000:

1. Supercharging for the last 3-4 years. The others who didn't pay the $2000 went several years without any supercharger availability, making any kind of road trip essentially unfeasible.

Again, that's their choice to forgo that option. The ones that paid didn't pay to just get 3-4 years of supercharger availability advantage, but rather for the lifetime of their car.

2. Unlimited *free* supercharging both for those 3-4 years and into the foreseeable future. We're talking about having the others pay > utility rates for the charge they get, not giving them supercharging for free.

This proposal means giving away the *ability* to supercharge away for free. Keep in mind, even the CHAdeMO-only option (which does not allow supercharger access) is already $1900. Tesla would logically have to refund that money if they do something like this.

And there are 40kWh owners who upgraded to 60kWh for $10k and then the $2500 in order to get supercharging. Should Tesla refund that $10k now? Also, enabling 40kWh to charge on the supercharger network sets the expectation that the supercharger network gaps should support them (something that Tesla already said they weren't willing to do due to the short range).

I'm pretty sure that Tesla doesn't want to open this can of worms.