Tesla owners have it pretty good. Aside from getting to drive around in an incredible looking car (or SUV, in the case of the Model X), they aren’t spending a cent on gas, and have had the opportunity to “refuel” at any number of Tesla-provided Supercharging stations around the world free of charge. If you want to be one of the lucky Tesla owners to have all of those perks, you’re going to want to buy soon. Tesla has announced changes to their Supercharger stations that will affect any new cars sold after January 1, 2017.
Before you swear off of Tesla and go buy yourself a Hummer in protest, the company isn’t going to leave new owners completely out in the cold, they’re just re-affirming the way they’d like the Supercharge stations to be used. Tesla envisioned the Supercharge network as a means to allow drivers to make longer trips such as vacations or long weekend trips. When you can’t just stop and “fill up” at any local gas station, that severely limits how far you can go in an electric vehicle. If you can’t guarantee you’ll have access to an outlet at your destination, you’re making a rather costly one-way trip.
In that regard, the system has been a complete success, allowing drivers to take cross-country trips. I know a Tesla owner who was able to drive from Florida up to Michigan (and back) relying almost completely on Supercharger stations on his journey (what’s up Corey?). But for everyone like Corey who use the system as it was intended, plenty of other drivers simply use the Supercharge stations in lieu of a gas station, or instead of charging up at home. Tesla’s preferred process? Treat your Tesla like your cell phone.
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.
Anyone ordering a Tesla after January 1, 2017, or anyone who takes delivery after April 1, 2017, will miss out on the free unlimited Supercharger access, but you’ll still get perks that us lowly internal combustion engine drivers won’t have. Tesla will offer 400 kWh worth of Supercharging credits per year, which ought to get you around 1000 miles of travel, allowing drivers to use their Tesla for travel or long-distance trips. Drivers will still be able to user Supercharger stations even if they’ve exhausted their credits, but they’ll be charged a small fee, which Tesla has said will be less expensive than filling the tank of a comparable car.
What do you think about Tesla changing their Supercharger access? Tell us in the comment section below, or on Google+, Facebook, or Twitter.
[button link=”https://www.tesla.com/blog/update-our-supercharging-program” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: Tesla[/button]
