This past November, Tesla announced that it was tightening up access to its nationwide network of Superchargers. Whereas access to Tesla’s quick-charging stalls has historically been free for owners, the increasing ubiquity of Tesla vehicles on the road has resulted in frustrating lines at Supercharging stations across the country. Coupled with the impending release of the Model 3, Tesla understandably wants to save drivers the frustration of having to wait endlessly behind a line of 25 cars before getting a much-needed charge.
Per a press release a few weeks ago, Tesla indicated new vehicles purchased after 2017 will be afforded 1,000 miles of free Supercharger credits. Once those credits are exhausted, however, drivers will have to pay a nominal fee for access, though Tesla assured prospective buyers that it will “cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car.”
Now comes word from Tesla that it’s extending the period under which Tesla buyers can take advantage of unlimited Supercharger access. According to a tweet sent out yesterday, any Tesla purchased up until January 15, 2017 will enjoy free access to hundreds of Tesla Supercharging stations. In other words, if you’re on the fence about purchasing either a Model S or a Model X, you might want to pull the trigger sooner rather than later.
If you couldn’t finalize your purchase by 12/31, you can still order a Model S or X until 1/15 to receive unlimited Supercharging.
— Tesla (@Tesla) January 1, 2017
Incidentally, Tesla’s Supercharger network might be graced with a serious upgrade in the not-too-distant future. Just last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased that the third-generation version of its Supercharger technology will have a power capacity of more than 350 kW. As a point of reference, most Supercharger stations today have a capacity in the 120 kW range.
