Free Supercharger access for new Model X & S owners
If you order a new Model S or Model X from Tesla, you can now charge it again for free at the manufacturer’s Superchargers. With this step, Tesla apparently aims to boost the recently sluggish sales of its two higher-priced and higher-margin models.
For a long time, Tesla’s free charging on the company’s own superchargers was an important argument in its favour. With the increasing number of vehicles, the supply of new vehicles was further restricted – older vehicles with “lifelong” free charging were not affected. However, the argument that the purchase of a more expensive car at least at the Supercharger stations would no longer cost anything was no longer valid.
On the other hand, Tesla had always stressed that the Supercharger stations were intended for long-distance journeys. However, some customers with free supercharging have increasingly used the fast chargers to charge their daily traction current, leading to at least partial blockage of charging stations. But the official reason for the phase-out of the charging flat was the costs: “Sorry, it’s not really sustainable at volume production and doesn’t incent optimal behavior. We probably should have ended this earlier,” Elon Musk said at the time.
The record number of deliveries in the second quarter shows just how much Tesla’s situation has shifted in favour of the cheaper Model 3. Of the 95,200 vehicles delivered, a total of 77,550 were delivered to the hopeful (72,531 Model 3 were produced). 17,650 of the larger S and X premium models were handed over to solvent customers, while 14,517 corresponding vehicles left the factory.
BREAKING: All new Model S and Model X orders now come with ⚡ free ⚡ unlimited ⚡ Supercharging ⚡
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 3, 2019
As Tesla has meanwhile confirmed via Twitter, all new Model S and Model X now come with free supercharging again. Only in July Tesla had adjusted the prices and cancelled the “standard range” for both models. The base price for the Model S in Germany will rise from 78,300 euros to at least 86,800 euros. In Austria, customers must pay at least 87,000 euros, and in Switzerland 97,400 Swiss francs. For the Model X, the “standard range” previously cost 83,200 euros; now the “maximum range” for 91,700 euros is the cheapest model in the series. In Austria the Model X starts at 92,700 Euro and in Switzerland at 100,590 Swiss Francs.
So it remains to be seen how the reintroduced free shop on the Superchargers will affect sales of the two premium model series. Or whether Model 3 – in Europe with the more widespread CCS connection – with its lower purchase prices despite 40 cents per kWh on the Supercharger is still the more attractive option for customers.
0 Comments