Tesla considers charging for Destination Charger
Tesla is apparently working on a payment system for its Destination Charger – wallboxes found at many hotels and restaurants. The core of the project is the third hardware generation of the Tesla Wall Connector.
As Electrek has found out, Tesla is currently writing to the operators of the Destination Charger about the new, third generation of the Wall Connector. The biggest change in the new generation is the ability to set a price for the use of previously free charging points.
Several Destination Charger operators have forwarded the relevant mail from Tesla to Electrek. “Thank you for being part of Tesla’s Destination Charging network,” it says. “In order to continue delivering the best possible charging experience for your guests, we have released the newest version of the Tesla Wall Connector. We think your site is a great candidate for an upgrade.”
According to Tesla, the new Wall Connector will provide enhanced reporting capabilities and remote diagnostics. The interesting part comes under the heading of “reimbursement”: “Opt-in to charge users a fair price for the electricity they use when charging.”
It is not yet clear whether Tesla will require the operator to bill the charging process. The wording “opt-in” would perhaps indicate that it is an option but not an obligation for the operator. Neither the modalities of billing nor what a “fair price” entails were revealed.
Until now, destination chargers have been free of charge, and at available at specially marked charging points even for non-Tesla customers. In the past, Tesla provided the wallboxes to operators free of charge and, according to Electrek, in some cases even paid for them. Tesla’s German website says that “accepted charging station partners” must “contact an authorised electrical installation company to request a quotation for one or two Tesla wall charging stations”. A Tesla project manager should then ensure that the installation is cost-effective and technically sound.
Tesla cooperates with hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and holiday resorts for the Destination Charger. The charging points are integrated into the Tesla website and the car’s navigation system and are planned accordingly in the route guidance.
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