Photo: Unknown via Craigslist
Just before the end of last year, Tesla announced something most owners knew would come at some point, but still felt like the end of an era when it became official.
Free lifetime Supercharger access was one of the great perks of owning a Tesla because it meant you could travel cross-country without having to take one single cent out of your pocket as "gas money." So not only did the company's network of charging stations enable long-distance traveling, but they also made it free.
Starting this year, that changed. All existing vehicles would keep this privilege, but the new ones would have to pay a small fee (depending on the electricity cost in the area) per kWh used. However, there was still a way to avoid it: the referral program.
If somebody bought a Model S or X using an owner's referral code during 2017, they got a $1,000 discount off the acquisition price, but also free access to the Supercharger network for life. And it wasn't all bad news for those who popped in the shops without any referrals.
Tesla thought of a way that would sweeten the pill a little, so it offered 400 kWh of free Supercharger access per year for any Model S and X buyer outside of the referral program. That covered the charge needed for most road trips, meaning you got free transportation for one holiday a year from Tesla.
But things weren't this crystal clear about the Model 3 as well. The smaller sedan was not part of the referral program, so did that meant it fell into the same 400 kWh free access per year? Elon Musk suggested that way in the past during a questions-and-answers session.
Well, one of the few Model 3 owners would like to disagree. The man posted a screenshot of his My Tesla app showing he had to pay $8.60 for charging 43 kWh at a Supercharger. In his tweet, he mentions Model 3 owners don't get any Supercharger credit, something that Tesla has actually confirmed in the meantime (via Electrek).
While this revelation does not have a big financial impact (400 kWh represents less than $100), it does go to show that Tesla is making the rules up as it goes along. It either shows a lack of communication inside the company (Musk was ill-informed when he made the comment last year) or a lack of mid-term strategy. Whatever the case, it doesn't put Tesla in the most favorable of lights.Not that it would matter to its fanbase.
Starting this year, that changed. All existing vehicles would keep this privilege, but the new ones would have to pay a small fee (depending on the electricity cost in the area) per kWh used. However, there was still a way to avoid it: the referral program.
If somebody bought a Model S or X using an owner's referral code during 2017, they got a $1,000 discount off the acquisition price, but also free access to the Supercharger network for life. And it wasn't all bad news for those who popped in the shops without any referrals.
Tesla thought of a way that would sweeten the pill a little, so it offered 400 kWh of free Supercharger access per year for any Model S and X buyer outside of the referral program. That covered the charge needed for most road trips, meaning you got free transportation for one holiday a year from Tesla.
But things weren't this crystal clear about the Model 3 as well. The smaller sedan was not part of the referral program, so did that meant it fell into the same 400 kWh free access per year? Elon Musk suggested that way in the past during a questions-and-answers session.
Well, one of the few Model 3 owners would like to disagree. The man posted a screenshot of his My Tesla app showing he had to pay $8.60 for charging 43 kWh at a Supercharger. In his tweet, he mentions Model 3 owners don't get any Supercharger credit, something that Tesla has actually confirmed in the meantime (via Electrek).
While this revelation does not have a big financial impact (400 kWh represents less than $100), it does go to show that Tesla is making the rules up as it goes along. It either shows a lack of communication inside the company (Musk was ill-informed when he made the comment last year) or a lack of mid-term strategy. Whatever the case, it doesn't put Tesla in the most favorable of lights.Not that it would matter to its fanbase.
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