Photo: Jeff Cooper via Flickr
One of the great perks of owning a Tesla, aside from its well-known habit of leaving supercars in the dust at the drag strip, is the fact you could recharge it for free at any station of its Supercharger network. Make that "was."
Four years ago when the Superchargers first came about, offering unlimited charging for its customers seemed almost too good to be true. But then again, that wasn't the only surprising thing about this company, so people quickly got used to the idea. After all, we tend to accept good things very easily.
Asked how it could support this service financially, Tesla's answer has always been that the cost is included in the price of the car. Alright, that makes sense, even though some clients might have preferred a lower acquisition cost in exchange for giving up on their right to use the Superchargers. Clients from regions where the network hasn't expanded yet, for example.
Now, though, Tesla is announcing an update to its Supercharging program, and, yes, it won't be free anymore. Well, not for those who buy their cars after January 1, 2017, that is. What, it's not Tesla's fault you were born too late to earn your unlimited free charging right.
Well, things are a little more complicated than that. It's very important to remember that all cars purchased before January 1 will continue to enjoy this benefit, as long as the buyers also take delivery before April 1, 2017. Those who already have their cars need not worry as nothing will change for them.
Tesla says it will detail the new mechanics in a future message, but it does release a few more details already. For instance, every new owner after the January 1 will receive 400 kWh (roughly 1,000 miles or 1,600 kilometers worth of power) of free Supercharging Credits, allowing them to enjoy the freedom of movement offered by the network. This is in line with what Tesla has said from the beginning, which is that the Superchargers should not be viewed as a means of permanent free-travel, but a way of enabling long-distance road trips for electric vehicles as well.
"That’s why today we’re announcing a change to the economics of Supercharging," reads the blog post, "– one that allows us to reinvest in the network, accelerate its growth and bring all owners, current and future, the best Supercharging experience." Yeah, with the sole difference that the current owners don't have to pay for it.
If what was said about the free access to the Supercharger network initially was true, then the prices of the Model S and X should go down, at least a little. If Tesla wants to keep this fair for everyone, that would be the only course of action that shouldn't make new buyers feel cheated. It's not about the actual savings, but the principle itself.
On the other hand, Tesla hasn't shied away from providing its older clients (or is it "early adopters?") with special benefits before, so it's not exactly new. Besides, if you don't like it, you can always take your business somewhere else. Oh, wait, there isn't any real competitor out there yet... Well, lucky for Tesla.
Asked how it could support this service financially, Tesla's answer has always been that the cost is included in the price of the car. Alright, that makes sense, even though some clients might have preferred a lower acquisition cost in exchange for giving up on their right to use the Superchargers. Clients from regions where the network hasn't expanded yet, for example.
Now, though, Tesla is announcing an update to its Supercharging program, and, yes, it won't be free anymore. Well, not for those who buy their cars after January 1, 2017, that is. What, it's not Tesla's fault you were born too late to earn your unlimited free charging right.
Well, things are a little more complicated than that. It's very important to remember that all cars purchased before January 1 will continue to enjoy this benefit, as long as the buyers also take delivery before April 1, 2017. Those who already have their cars need not worry as nothing will change for them.
Tesla says it will detail the new mechanics in a future message, but it does release a few more details already. For instance, every new owner after the January 1 will receive 400 kWh (roughly 1,000 miles or 1,600 kilometers worth of power) of free Supercharging Credits, allowing them to enjoy the freedom of movement offered by the network. This is in line with what Tesla has said from the beginning, which is that the Superchargers should not be viewed as a means of permanent free-travel, but a way of enabling long-distance road trips for electric vehicles as well.
"That’s why today we’re announcing a change to the economics of Supercharging," reads the blog post, "– one that allows us to reinvest in the network, accelerate its growth and bring all owners, current and future, the best Supercharging experience." Yeah, with the sole difference that the current owners don't have to pay for it.
If what was said about the free access to the Supercharger network initially was true, then the prices of the Model S and X should go down, at least a little. If Tesla wants to keep this fair for everyone, that would be the only course of action that shouldn't make new buyers feel cheated. It's not about the actual savings, but the principle itself.
On the other hand, Tesla hasn't shied away from providing its older clients (or is it "early adopters?") with special benefits before, so it's not exactly new. Besides, if you don't like it, you can always take your business somewhere else. Oh, wait, there isn't any real competitor out there yet... Well, lucky for Tesla.
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