All good things must come to an end. Tesla has announced an update to its Supercharging programme, and the new plan will no longer offer free unlimited charging to new customers.
Here’s the deal. For Teslas ordered after January 1, 2017, owners will no longer enjoy unlimited free charging on the Supercharging network, but will instead be given 400 kWh of free Supercharging credits (which translates to around 1,000 miles or 1,600 km) per year.
Once the free credits run out, there will be a small fee that will be charged incrementally. Tesla says that charging will cost less than the price of filling up a comparable petrol car. All Teslas will continue to come standard with the onboard hardware required for Supercharging.
The EV maker says that while prices may fluctuate over time and vary regionally based on the cost of electricity, “our Supercharger network will never be a profit centre.”
These changes will not apply to current owners or any new Teslas ordered before January 1, 2017, as long as delivery is taken before April 1 next year.
Tesla says that its Supercharger network, which has over 4,600 machines, is to provide customers a seamless and convenient charging experience when they’re away from home. The company says that its intention has always been for Supercharging to enable long distance travel, and that the best way to charge a Tesla is to plug it in at home or at work, just like how one charges a smartphone.
This “change to the economics of Supercharging” allows Tesla to reinvest in the network, accelerate its growth and bring all owners, current and future, the best Supercharging experience, the company says.
“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,” it announced.
GALLERY: Tesla Model S in Malaysia
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Hopefully those new potential buyers wont don yellow shirts and hold protests in front of the gigafactory
Tax the rich so no problemo.
In western overlords land, yellow means coward.
I wonder how long to charge to full?
if you are using their supercharger
around 1hr plus to full
electricity very cheap only la compare to gasoline and water in US.
Doesnt concern us Malaysians.
1 design, 3 models.
20 min with supercharge, more if no ‘super’