Cost Tesla Supercharging: pay or still free?
Should you own a Tesla, the phenomenon of Supercharging is something you’ll really enjoy. Charging your car quickly is always nice. Only, there is still some confusion about charging your Tesla with the Supercharger. Is it free? Or do you pay for it? Since these rules have not remained the same, we hereby explain to you what the rules are currently.
Tesla supercharging can be free
Usually at Tesla’s Superchargers it is not free, we will go into this in more detail later. Of course, it is more interesting to first check when Supercharging your Tesla is free. For instance, when you buy your Tesla, you can agree to Supercharging for free (number of kWh you can agree on). What could also be the case is that you participated in a previous Tesla referral programme. You may then have free Supercharging credits (Viewable in the Tesla app).
Furthermore, you can have over 10,000 km of free Supercharger credit, provided you purchased a Tesla between 15 December 2022 and 12 January 2023 (expires within 2 years and non-transferable).
Charging at Tesla Superchargers
Should you not be entitled to free Supercharging, you will unfortunately still have to pay a bit for this feature. Exactly how much you pay varies by location and country, but to give you an indication, you’ll spend around €0.68 per kWh. By the way, it is also possible to take out a subscription for €12.99 per month. You will then spend between €0.34 and €0.40 per kWh. An attractive option for real mile-eaters.
One thing that is certain with the Tesla supercharger is that you never pay more than petrol. Tesla claims that you always pay more for this ‘controversial’ fuel.
Tesla’s Fair Use Policy
Due to historically busy occupancy at Tesla Superchargers, a Fair Use Policy regulation was put in place by Tesla in 2017. This means that Tesla cars used for commercial purposes cannot charge at Superchargers. The reason for this includes abuse from Taxi companies that sometimes left their Tesla unmanned all night to charge at such a Supercharger.
The list of commercial Tesla users includes the following:
- Taxis;
- Services like Uber or Lyft;
- Commercial goods transport;
- Government departments;
- Any other commercial purpose.
Countering charging pole stickers
Something that also causes irritation for both Tesla and Tesla drivers is the so-called ‘charging pole life’. Users who do not move their Tesla after it is 100% fully charged (within 5 min) pay 35 cents per minute, aka an ‘idle fee’. After all, Superchargers are meant to provide seamless, enjoyable road trips. Tesla’s statement on this is as follows:
‘We understand that it can be frustrating to arrive at a station where all the spaces are taken by Tesla cars that are already charged. To provide a better experience for all owners, we are introducing an ‘idle-fee’ for the entire fleet with the aim of improving the availability of our Superchargers’.
By the way, you don’t have to stay with your Tesla all the time to know when it is fully charged. In fact, you get two push notifications about its charging status. Once when it is almost full and the second time when it is actually 100% full. So you can quietly have a coffee at the petrol station. Tesla’s goal is also not o earn more, but to improve the customer experience.
