Credit: Tesla/Iulian Mitrica/Google
Tesla Superchargers are free for all Model S & Model X vehicles. But … from next year, new Tesla owners will have to pay for Supercharger use, apart from 400 kWh of free Supercharging credits per year.
Free use of Superchargers for Model 3 cars was ruled out some time ago.
Tesla will continue to honour its undertaking to provide free Supercharger use for the life of existing vehicles.
Tesla – An Update to Our Supercharging Program
https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/blog/update-our-supercharging-program?redirect=no
Wired has suggested that this is a sign of Tesla morphing from a startup to a mainstream car manufacturer.
Wired – As Tesla Grows Up, It Gives Up on Free Charging
https://www.wired.com/2016/11/tesla-grows-gives-free-charging/
On the other hand, an over-the-air software performance upgrade of the Model S P90D will require owners to work out how to enable it. I.e., an Easter egg – which is more tech-head in-joke than mainstream vehicle manufacturer.
Elon Musk tweeted about it
Looks like the Model S P100D Easter egg will allow it to do 0 to 60 mph in 2.4 sec and a 10.6 sec 1/4 mile via software update next month
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 16, 2016
Bloomberg – Tesla ‘Easter Egg’ Makes the World’s Fastest Car Even Faster
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-16/tesla-easter-egg-makes-the-world-s-fastest-car-even-faster / Tesla grows up free charging Supercharger Tesla gorgeous cars ludicrous acceleration Autopilot over the air updates luxury electric vehicle EV free charging automaker international network Supercharger stations Tesla customers plug in chargers add 200 to 300 miles of range per hour top up depleted battery about 30 minutes driver has a bathroom break bite to eat approach convenience pumping gas conventional car free for life new Tesla buyers plug pay up Tesla Tesla electric vehicle industry Supercharging order Tesla 400 kWh free Supercharging credits per year 1,000 miles of driving Tesla how much it will cost limit small fee cheaper than buying gas ordered charge for free for life 373,000 people $1,000 deposit reserve Model 3 order Tesla new income build new Superchargers worldwide 4605 charging points expand the network Tesla owners free lunch all you can eat buffet not unusual queue of Model S and X cars waiting busy locations August 2015 letter Tesla chided owners over-using Superchargers day-to-day charging at home something away for free harder to manage Art Wheaton studies the auto industry Cornell University’s Worker Institute small dollar amount per fill should encourage people to only take what they need help manage the lines Tesla crucial maintaining positive user experience expensive supercharger Paul Mutolo energy storage chemist Cornell University bunch of cars charging at once big spike power demand big bills from utility companies demand charges making money allow Tesla build Superchargers CEO Elon Musk vision sustainable transport solar panels batteries store energy buffer demand cutting costs at the same time more chargers are coming /
