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Would you pay $2k for supercharger access?

Would you pay $2k for Supercharger access?

  • Yes (I'm an MS owner or future MS owner)

    Votes: 80 35.9%
  • No (I'm an MS owner or future MS owner

    Votes: 16 7.2%
  • Yes (I'm a future M3 owner)

    Votes: 104 46.6%
  • No (I'm a future M3 owner)

    Votes: 23 10.3%

  • Total voters
    223
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nwdiver

Well-Known Member
Feb 17, 2013
9,398
14,607
United States
The demographics for the model 3 will be different than those for the model S... curious to see how popular optional supercharging would be... and how many future M3 owners are on TMC.

For the purposes of this poll if you currently own or plan to own a MS then you are an MS owner regardless of wether you plan to also add a M3 to your Tesla collection...

If you bought an 85 or 70 and didn't have the option then please choose as though you did have that option...

For the sake of argument...assume that local supercharger use will be restricted at some point so supercharger use will be limited to long-distance use and would not save you anything on your monthly electric bill. BUT... would remain unlimited for long-distance travel...


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Yes... I did get careless with a(s) and an(s)... a MS is technically correct but... it just reads weird since 'M' is pronounced 'EM'; apparently I couldn't make up my mind and I can't edit the poll.... so just suck it up grammar police :tongue:
 
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I voted Yes (I'm a future M3 owner), but I must say that it would be completely impractical for me to do so. I haven't done it yet obviously, so I could very easily change my mind. I like what Tesla is doing with the Supercharger network, and I'd like to believe that I would support the effort regardless of practicality for me.

I live in Ohio, outside of Cleveland. I'm less than a mile from I-80. If I wanted to drive to New York City, I would go straight out I-80. The problem is there are currently no Superchargers (according to the map on Tesla's website) along I-80 through Pennsylvania.

I haven't done the math, but I'm wondering when it would be more practical to get a(n :tongue:) M3 without supercharging, and just rent an ICE for long distance travel instead of paying $2000 upfront with the realization that I-80 may not have Superchargers.
 
I voted Yes (I'm a future M3 owner), but I must say that it would be completely impractical for me to do so. I haven't done it yet obviously, so I could very easily change my mind. I like what Tesla is doing with the Supercharger network, and I'd like to believe that I would support the effort regardless of practicality for me.

I live in Ohio, outside of Cleveland. I'm less than a mile from I-80. If I wanted to drive to New York City, I would go straight out I-80. The problem is there are currently no Superchargers (according to the map on Tesla's website) along I-80 through Pennsylvania.

I haven't done the math, but I'm wondering when it would be more practical to get a(n :tongue:) M3 without supercharging, and just rent an ICE for long distance travel instead of paying $2000 upfront with the realization that I-80 may not have Superchargers.

I-80 will get superchargers eventually. Probably long before the Model 3 comes out in any significant numbers.
 
The supercharger network is the major selling point of the M3 over a next gen Leaf or Bolt or whatever the Germans come up with possibly in response to emissions-gate. Even if I only used it a few times a year I would still want to support Tesla's mission. Plus I hate being on the road far from home only to find the ONLY Chademo is down or in use by a Leaf. Been there, done that, never again. Also hanging out at a Walgreen for an hour and half at the only L2 in range while on an important business road trip was an adventure once, but I'll never do that again.
 
At first I was going to answer "it depends", thinking it would depend on how much they would charge for access to the SC network per use. As it stands now, I probably would only use the SC for trips from Orlando to Tampa or Miami, and those trips are only a few times per year. BUT, now sitting here and thinking hard about it for the first time, having SC access for life for $2000 would probably incentivize me to make those trips more frequently. And assuming that the SC network will continue to expand through the release of the Model 3, there probably would be a lot more road trips I'd take in the Model 3 with the cost of travel already paid for. I'm a huge roller coaster junkie, so I'd definitely take more trips up to Charlotte to visit Carowinds, and maybe even up to Virginia to hit up Kings Dominion (I see a SC just outside of Richmond, not too far from Doswell). And if they shored up the SC network in the Midsouth, I'd definitely consider driving to see my wife's family in Memphis vs. paying for 2 $300 plane tickets twice a year (3 once our kid hits 2). I guess it all depends on how long my wife is willing to sit in a car with a kid. :p But yeah, I just talked myself into getting SC access upfront no matter what!
 
2,000 $ for life is a great bargain for anyone (like me) doing a lot of mileage. Even if you would only use it occasionally, it is an important feature. This would be different, if there was a way to use the SC and pay as you go. The complexities of a billing system is one of the factors preventing this. Another reason is the beauty of a simple and appealing system. I guess that many cars are sold because of the great SC system.

As a current MS owner and future M3 owner I voted yes in the MS category.
 
I voted no based on some quick numbers. Assuming $0.12/kWh at home, $2000 would buy me over 16000 kWh of electricity. That's enough to travel over 90,000 km (using the 70D 385km/charge estimate). I don't expect to put on that distance using the supercharger network.

While it would be nice to not worry about paying, I think it would be cheaper to just pay for the superchargers as I need them.

Somebody correct me if my math is wrong.
 
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Yes. I would only use them a few times a year (assuming Model 3 isn't a "200 mile *nudge* *wink*" car), but I appreciate that the nature of vehicle charging means coverage and capacity are important, so I'd be happy to pay. Besides, how can I know what I'll need during the life of the car, at the time that I buy it?

(Future Model 3 owner, I hope).
 
I voted no based on some quick numbers. Assuming $0.12/kWh at home, $2000 would buy me over 16000 kWh of electricity. That's enough to travel over 90,000 km (using the 70D 385km/charge estimate). I don't expect to put on that distance using the supercharger network.

While it would be nice to not worry about paying, I think it would be cheaper to just pay for the superchargers as I need them.

Somebody correct me if my math is wrong.

The primary cost of the supercharger network is the capital cost of installation... not the additional cost of electricity.

The pay-per-use model is difficult for fast charging for the reason you've alluded to... it's simply cheaper to charge at home; But that's not an option if you want to travel. The only viable way to make this work is to 'socialize' the cost of the network across the vehicle fleet.

There still isn't a viable business model for selling electrons for electric vehicles...

 
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The primary cost of the supercharger network is the capital cost of installation... not the additional cost of electricity.

The pay-per-use model is difficult for fast charging for the reason you've alluded to... it's simply cheaper to charge at home; But that's not an option if you want to travel. The only viable way to make this work is to 'socialize' the cost of the network across the vehicle fleet.
...

Right, which is why I had a follow up post indicating that if it was all or nothing, then I'd pay for it.

I see the access to a good network as being more valuable than the cost of electricity itself.

My 'no' vote was merely a noob misunderstanding.
 
Right, which is why I had a follow up post indicating that if it was all or nothing, then I'd pay for it.

I see the access to a good network as being more valuable than the cost of electricity itself.

My 'no' vote was merely a noob misunderstanding.

Yeah... it's a different paradigm... people are used to paying for the gasoline... not having access to a gas station :wink:

Gas Stations would probably be in a lot of trouble too if you had gasoline on tap at your house for less...
 
I said no as a future M3 buyer.... but as time gets closer to M3 reveal, that may change depending on the real world range. It may be beneficial to have the base 3 with the $2k option for SC access. For the higher end M3, SC should be included in the price.

The $2k charge will certainly put off a significant amount of potential customers. Remember this car is shooting for the mass market and $35k base is already toward the top price range. The $7500 tax credit will not last very long either. Just my 2 cents.
 
The primary cost of the supercharger network is the capital cost of installation... not the additional cost of electricity.

The pay-per-use model is difficult for fast charging for the reason you've alluded to... it's simply cheaper to charge at home; But that's not an option if you want to travel. The only viable way to make this work is to 'socialize' the cost of the network across the vehicle fleet.

There still isn't a viable business model for selling electrons for electric vehicles...

Yes, but there's nothing to say that Tesla doesn't still fund supercharger construction through vehicle sales. I see any potential charges as being an attempt to make the supercharger system more efficiently used rather than a complete funding system. It eliminates the irrationality of people using it just because it's free or trying to justify an upfront charge.
 
Currently there are very few super chargers where i live. So for me it would have to be no.

If the situation changes by the time the m3 comes out then i might say yes.
Even then i would prefer to pay at the station, when/if i ever use it, for that one time.

But honestly, even if it were free i dont see myself using superchargers that often. Not for the way we use our cars. We do cross country long distance travel, maybe once a year, if that.

And thats the only time we would use a supercharger.

Day to day, solar panels would charge my car at home