Tesla to introduce fees for its supercharger network

Tesla has announced that it will phase out free lifetime usage of its supercharger network, with fees to be introduced in 2017.

Under the new plans, Tesla’s ordered after January 1 2017 will come with 400kWh of free supercharging credits, which will cover roughly 1,000 miles. Beyond that, the electric manufacturer has said drivers will have to pay a ‘small fee’ to charge at one of the 4,600 supercharges across the world.

Details of the costs have not yet been confirmed and Tesla has advised that they ‘may fluctuate over time and vary regionally based on the cost of electricity’. However, it stressed that the supercharger network will still ‘cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car’ and ‘never be a profit centre’ for the company.

Tesla claims that the introduction of fees will allow it to ‘reinvest in the network, accelerate its growth and bring all owners, current and future, the best Supercharging experience’.

Current owners and those who purchase a new Tesla before January 1 2017 will not be affected, as long as delivery is taken before April 1 2017.

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