Tesla to end free Supercharging for new car buyers next year

By Bruce Brown Published November 7, 2016

tesla supercharge charge structure superchargers 1200x792 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Act fast if you want free Supercharging for life with a new Tesla because your time to order is running out. Tesla announced the coming change in the Supercharging network program on Monday and new owners will be given annual Supercharging credits, as reported by Electrek.

One of the many unique selling points of Tesla vehicles has been the promise of free fuel for life. Buy the car and never have to pay to charge it at any of the companies more than 4,600 Superchargers around the world. The deal is still in effect for new Model S and Model X orders until January 1.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk already confirmed Model 3 buyers would not get free Supercharging standard with the lower-priced, entry-level cars. There have also been rumors of a Supercharging credit program. Now the Supercharger network program changes have been officially announced, although the pricing for charging has not.

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“These changes will not impact current owners or any new Teslas ordered before January 1, 2017, as long as delivery is taken before April 1, 2017,” Tesla said in the announcement. Note that even though at least 370,000 reservations have been placed for Model 3s, those are not full orders and would not apply anyway because Model 3s are not scheduled to go into production until the summer of 2017 at the earliest for delivery late summer or fall.

Buyers of new Teslas ordered after January 1 will receive free Supercharging credits for 400 kWh, approximately 1,000 miles annually. Otherwise, the company will charge “a small fee to Supercharge which will be charged incrementally and cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car.” The amount of the fee is not specified, but may change over time and vary based on regional electricity costs. Tesla said the Supercharger network will not be a profit center and that the change will allow “us to reinvest in the network, accelerate its growth and bring all owners, current and future, the best Supercharging experience.”

As Musk has said previously, the company believes, “the best way to charge your car is either at home or at work, during the hours you’re not using it.”

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Contributing Editor

Bruce Brown Contributing Editor As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…

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Costco, known for its discount gas stations, has left EV drivers in need of juicing up out in the cold for the past 12 years. But that seems about to change now that the big-box retailer is putting its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington.
After being one of the early pioneers of EV charging in the 1990s, Costco abandoned the offering in 2012 in the U.S.
While opening just one station may seem like a timid move, the speed at which the station was installed -- just seven weeks -- could indicate big plans going forward.
Besides lightening-speed installation, Electric Era, the Seattle-based company making and installing the charging station, promises to offer “hyper-reliable, battery-backed fast charging technology in grid-constrained locations.”
Its stalls can deliver up to 200 kilowatts and come with built-in battery storage, allowing for lower electricity rates and the ability to remain operational even when power grids go down.
If that sounds like it could very well rival Tesla’s SuperCharger network, it’s no coincidence: Quincy Lee, its CEO, is a former SpaceX engineer.
Costco also seems confident enough in the company to have put its brand name on the EV-charging station. Last year, the wholesaler did open a pilot station in Denver, this time partnering with Electrify America, the largest charging network in the U.S. However, Costco did not put its brand name on it.
In an interview with Green Car Reports, Electric Era said it was still in talks with Costco about the opening of new locations. Last year, Costco said it was planning to install fast chargers at 20 locations, without providing further details. It has maintained EV-charging operations in Canada, the UK, Spain, and South Korea.
Meanwhile, the wholesaler’s U.S. EV-charging plans might very well resemble those of rival Walmart, which last year announced it was building its own EV fast-charging network in addition to the arrangements it already had with Electrify America.