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Supercharging and 60 kWh Model S Orders - Message from George B

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GeorgeB

Tesla Motors VP, Sales & Ownership Experience
Jan 5, 2012
34
2
Supercharging and 60 kWh Model S Orders

Unfortunately this situation did not unfold as planned. Everything started out fine, then when dates slipped, we made a decision that I think was the right decision, but wasn't communicated clearly or aggressively enough. Here's what was supposed to happen:

March: Begin configuring Signature cars (all have 85 kWh batteries)

Early July: Supercharger Event (followed up immediately thereafter with pricing for 60 kWh cars)

Mid-July: Begin configuring General Production cars (with 85 and 60 kWh batteries)

The above schedule would have let Supercharging be a nice surprise when announced, and all pricing would have been clear and understood before any 60 kWh cars were configured. Unfortunately it turned out to be impossible for the Supercharger event to take place before the end of September, yet we still needed to begin configuring 60 kWh cars in July. That's when we made a decision…

We decided to include the necessary hardware in all cars (both 60 and 85 kWh cars) to allow Supercharging to be enabled at a later date. This would give anyone who finalized a 60 kWh car the option to include Supercharging after the Supercharger Event in September. I believe including the hardware was a good decision. In hindsight, I think how we communicated activation details was not aggressive enough and the assumptions we made were incorrect.

How We Communicated - We changed our website, Design Studio and configuration paperwork to reflect exactly what we were doing…including the hardware necessary in both 60 and 85 kWh cars to allow Supercharging in the future. We then verbally communicated that access would be free for 85 kWh cars, and there would be an activation fee for 60 kWh cars.

Our Incorrect Assumption - All customers in the configuration process would clearly understand there was an activation fee for 60 kWh cars.

This assumption was based upon the fact that Elon said it numerous times, we were verbally communicating it regularly, and it was showing up on the forums that there was an activation fee for 60 kWh cars. Elon also stated it again during his presentation at the Supercharger Event.

The assumption that the Activation Fee was clear is where we went wrong. In hindsight, we should have just put it in the text of the website, Design Studio and on customer's MVPA.

Now flash forward to this past Friday... When we went out with our Supercharger follow up communication, we intended to do something positive for customers who had already booked 60 kWh cars by giving them the option to enable Supercharging for half the price going forward. We erroneously thought this would be a positive. It was not.

It was not because the way we had previously communicated the activation fee was insufficient. Therefore, we are now waiving the entire activation fee for everyone who has already finalized and signed their paperwork for a 60 kWh car… To be clear, there will be no charge for those who have finalized and signed their paperwork for a 60 kWh car, and they will now receive free, unlimited Supercharging.

For those of you who received emails this past Friday regarding this issue, you can disregard them. Your car will have free, unlimited Supercharging enabled at no additional cost. Going forward, for those who have not finalized their order, I believe the option cost for Supercharging of 60 kWh cars is now clear on our website in multiple places.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this. I truly wish this had all gone much smoother. I wish we had been more clear, but we were not, so it is up to us to make it right…

The fee to enable Supercharging for all currently finalized and signed 60 kWh cars is waived.

Thanks... GeorgeB
 
It's great to hear 60kwh folks that finalized get SC included in full. Even if I have some reservations about the value proposition of the $2000 pricing in the grander scheme, it's great to see Tesla do the right thing by the 60kwh folks that have already finalized.

I distinctly remember how excited a friend was when 60kwh went to "included", it prompted him to reserve.
 
Thanks George.

I think this demonstrates that Tesla has great people working there and are trying to run a business that treats its customers well while also looking to succeed and push EVs forward. I'm happy for the people that finalized already and that this helps out.
 
Thanks George.

I think this demonstrates that Tesla has great people working there and are trying to run a business that treats its customers well while also looking to succeed and push EVs forward. I'm happy for the people that finalized already and that this helps out.

Ditto on what Dave said. Many of us have experienced Tesla going above and beyond for their customers time and again. And now ... again.
 
Great news GeorgeB,

I am configuring a performance, so it doesn't impact me, but I feel that for those who have already configured, it will be regarded as a just and fair decision, in line with what we have come to expect from Tesla. We need early adopters from all battery sizes to walk away with satisfaction that their pioneering spirit was well worth it.
 
Thanks George! Now this is the kind of top notch customer facing practice that we "newbies" have heard so much about from Roadster owners. In all my years as an exec in the computer industry I witnessed over and over how perceived negatives can become huge positives depending upon how they're handled. This is the sort of thing that now gives us S owners Great War stories to tell others about for years to come!


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Thank you George!

Thank you George!

I upgraded to the 60kw battery specifically for the advantage/promise of a Supercharger system that would allow me to drive longer distances. I attended the Supercharger event last week, and was excited to see that the system is finally a reality. (Shaking hands with Elon wasn't bad either!) I must not have been paying close attention, and was disappointed to receive an email informing me that Supercharger access would be an extra $2K charge. I appreciated the half-off offer for early 60kw adopters, but I wasn't too happy about forking out an extra grand over and above what I'm already paying for my car.

Tesla's rescinding of Supercharger access fees for early 60kw customers is a classy move by a classy company. I'm so proud to be a member of the Tesla family!
 
Not really sure how many of us signed MVPA 60kWh reservation holders are out there that this affects, but I'm one of them and I'll say this. I proudly own TSLA stock, I proudly evangelize TM products/services and now I know that GB wasn't kidding when he spoke at the October event. I really feel like family. Thanks GB!

Day in and day out I think about the decision to buy a Model S and stretch to get the 60kWh. The service plan and this SCing fee was putting a ton of stress on that decision as my needs for Model S revolve around interstate driving.

Just about everyone I know asks me when I'll get the car just about every time I see them. And not all of them believe in EV's, heck, I'd say most think I'm wasting my money for one reason or another and laugh when I tell them I'll be able to travel across the country for free for life of the car. They just can't believe that it will ever happen for one reason or another. They want to just keep buying oil products and don't see how it's changing the world or even attempt to see the forest for the trees. But all of them want a ride in it and I would imagine that when they do they too will add this car to their list when looking to buy their next primary automobile as it's second to none and will be for years to come. NOTE: I've converted two of them into reservation holders and I'm working on several more :wink:

So I believe it's people like us who are reaching, stretching and making this amazing leap of faith (albeit a very informed leap of faith) in something which is being brought to market 10 to 15 years (in my estimation) before other major automakers could even dream of delivering such a vast and connected set of charging hubs. And to do it for a calculated net addition to the grid is something truly spectacular.

Now, about the SCing sign. Whose idea was that?:biggrin: