New Tesla buyers will have to pay to use Superchargers

[Guest]

Tesla currently has a network of 734 "Superchargers", which they claim to be the world's fastest charging station

Many have seen the placement of these stations as a positive thing given that it has so far been offered for free

 

All that will change on January 1st, 2017 for future buyers

Quote

Customers who buy Teslas after that January 1st cutoff will be afforded 400 kWh of free Supercharging credits each year, good for about 1,000 miles, according to Tesla. The company says it will release more details about the change later this year, but added that “prices may fluctuate over time and vary regionally based on the cost of electricity.”

 

Quote

Just as you would charge your cell phone, we believe the best way to charge your car is either at home or at work, during the hours you’re not using it. For travelers, the Supercharger Network has become a powerful, unique benefit of Tesla ownership. As we approach the launch of Model 3, this update will enable us to greatly expand our Supercharger Network, providing customers with the best possible user experience and bringing sustainable transport to even more people. -Tesla Team 

 

I honestly didn't expect the service to remain free forever considering the fact that Tesla will need money to pay for the increase in production (Tesla Gigafactory), and also the maintenance on the charging stations themselves

I'm just waiting to see how the future owners of the Tesla Model 3 will react though I expect most customers to stick to the car's promise of the future

The good news for current owners is that they'll still get it all free of charge (pun intended) 

 

Sources: Tesla, TheVerge, TechCrunch 

[potoooooooo]

We've known this has been coming since the Model 3 announcement. Free power forever was an untenable service

[jeffmeyer5295]

Yeah I don't know how anyone would expect it to remain free. I think Tesla not only has to charge for this service but also deserves it. They need any money/profit they can get to get these cars out there and to the general public. Just imo tho.

[Eroda]

dinosaur juice FTW

[IrshaadH]

Kinda makes sense as they need the funds to expand their supercharger network across NA

[JettaGetUpandGo]

Even with the supercharger stations a Tesla is not an ideal vehicle for a road trip.  When I am traveling somewhere, the last thing I want to do is wait 75 minutes every 300 miles for the car to charge.  I would imagine most Tesla owners have a second vehicle for longer trips which would make this kind of a moot point anyway.

[Enderman]

THIS JUST IN: YOU NEED TO PAY TO USE GAS STATIONS!

[QueenDemetria]

1 minute ago, JettaGetUpandGo said:

Even with the supercharger stations a Tesla is not an ideal vehicle for a road trip.  When I am traveling somewhere, the last thing I want to do is wait 75 minutes every 300 miles for the car to charge.  I would imagine most Tesla owners have a second vehicle for longer trips which would make this kind of a moot point anyway.

This is why I like hybrids.

[JettaGetUpandGo]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

THIS JUST IN: YOU NEED TO PAY TO USE GAS STATIONS!

What?!  No way.  That's ridicuous!

[Enderman]

1 minute ago, JettaGetUpandGo said:

What?!  No way.  That's ridicuous!

I know right?!?! I always thought they were free!

No wonder people always yell and run after me while I drive away!

[knightslugger]

Still cheaper than gas.

[michaelocarroll007]

42 minutes ago, JettaGetUpandGo said:

Even with the supercharger stations a Tesla is not an ideal vehicle for a road trip.  When I am traveling somewhere, the last thing I want to do is wait 75 minutes every 300 miles for the car to charge.  I would imagine most Tesla owners have a second vehicle for longer trips which would make this kind of a moot point anyway.

 Yeah but many Households do have more then one Car.  my main Issue with them or when they were getting popular is therange i drive 100 miles 5 days a week though so options like the leaf on top of trips daily driving is out for me at least a tesla and the new chevy comming out are somewhat plausible cars for most.  

 

 Though i guess driving 250 miles stopping for food then driving 250 miles is the farthest i would even consider i barley like stopping but would just find a  restaurant or something. but i probably would just take another car if i was traveling 500 miles 

[spartaman64]

as long as its cheaper than gas its not a problem. and if someone can buy a tesla would they care about spending a few dollars on electricity to run it

[bcredeur97]

i still think we need a better solution for long roadtrips other than drive 300 miles, charge car for an hour and a half, drive another 300 miles, repeat....

just takes too long to recharge.  

electric cars are great for the city though. Trouble is i'd probably have a heavy foot playing around with the instant torque all day... 

 

the new battery tech is coming soon they say.... seems like every year I see a new alternative to lithium pop up, nothing has yet to be implemented though. 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

1 hour ago, michaelocarroll007 said:

 Yeah but many Households do have more then one Car.

Many households have more than one car, especially the type of household that could afford a Tesla.  Perhaps the husband drives the Tesla and the wife has a minivan (the stereotypes are real here, haha).  If most of the driving is around town the Tesla is perfectly fine.  On the rare occasion he drives 100+ miles from home he takes the minivan.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if 95% of people with an electric car had a second non-electric car in the garage as well.

[Sakkura]

Most people don't take road trips that far anyway, at least not often enough to matter. 

[Bensemus]

7 hours ago, JettaGetUpandGo said:

snip

 

5 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

snip

it's not quite that bad to charge then when traveling. 20-30min can get you 200 miles of range so if you can time your charge with lunch there really isn't much lost time waiting for the car to charge.

[VerticalDiscussions]

Ouch, that really sucks, if they were suppose to get free electricity.... i mean, it is electricity, the energy that moves the world and can be converted from natural sources, is being extrapolated like everything else in life is, including water.

[bobhays]

7 hours ago, JettaGetUpandGo said:

Even with the supercharger stations a Tesla is not an ideal vehicle for a road trip.  When I am traveling somewhere, the last thing I want to do is wait 75 minutes every 300 miles for the car to charge.  I would imagine most Tesla owners have a second vehicle for longer trips which would make this kind of a moot point anyway.

I get that, but at the same time it's just like taking a break every few hours. Its a rest stop, time to eat, relax. 30 min charge would be ideal  but meh... Usually don't go on road trips > 500 miles anyways.

[JettaGetUpandGo]

5 hours ago, bobhays said:

I get that, but at the same time it's just like taking a break every few hours. Its a rest stop, time to eat, relax. 30 min charge would be ideal  but meh... Usually don't go on road trips > 500 miles anyways.

The issue would be if a 30 minute charge won't get you to the next supercharger station.

[ttam]

I wouldn't mind this to be honest. Would also help a bit that when I need it, there isn't some douche hogging it.

[LWorm]

22 hours ago, DatSpeed said:

I'm just waiting to see how the future owners of the Tesla Model 3 will react though I expect most customers to stick to the car's promise of the future

 

As far as I recall, the Model 3 was never going to get unlimited Supercharger use unless you purchased a premium upgrade package (thousands more than the base).

[bobhays]

14 hours ago, JettaGetUpandGo said:

The issue would be if a 30 minute charge won't get you to the next supercharger station.

Sorry should've clarified.  I meant a 30 minute charge would be ideal if it was a quick charge that got up to 70-80%

 

Edit after looking it up they claim 80% in 40 minutes . Not bad