Tesla Superchargers just got more expensive to use
It's not to boost profits, but rather it's a response to changing local rates.
If you're a Tesla owner who pays for high-speed Supercharging, you might see those bills rise, but it's not because Elon Musk wants to Scrooge McDuck his way into an even larger pile of cash.
Tesla has raised prices at various Supercharger stations around the country, Electrek reports. The prices haven't been raised by an even amount across the board -- Oregon saw its rates double from $0.12 per kilowatt-hour to $0.24 per kWh, while California's rate jumped from $0.20 per kWh to $0.26 per kWh.
It's still cheaper than gas.
Not every owner pays for Supercharger access. Buyers of new Model 3s are on the pay-as-you-go plan, in addition to new Model S and Model X owners who haven't been referred by a current Tesla owner. Unlimited Supercharger use is still part of the referral program, despite other perks coming and going.
This rate adjustment isn't because Elon Musk wants more of your money. Tesla has admitted many times in the past that its Supercharger network will not pull a profit, and it even says so right on its Supercharger page. The automaker told Electrek that the rate adjustment simply reflects changing rates in various parts of the country. If ComEd or whatever utility company jacks its rates up, and if Tesla doesn't follow suit, the automaker is just going to bleed more money, and Tesla does that well enough already.
Tesla's Supercharger network is impressive, with nearly 1,200 stations scattered across North America. Its 120-kW chargers are among the most powerful on the road, but automakers already have plans to top that. Porsche has 800-volt chargers planned for all its US dealerships in time, while a consortium of automakers intend to deploy a network across Europe capable of 350-kW fast charging, even if EVs aren't capable of handling those charging speeds... yet.
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