Tesla launches their first car in 2008 and gradually, they have created its dignified position in the EV world. Back then, we used to listen that charging Tesla cars are free. And this is why a lot of people were interested in Tesla because they could save the cost of gas or fuel.
Now- Yes, you generally have to pay to charge a Tesla in public. Tesla has its own network of charging stations called Superchargers, and they require payment for charging. The cost of charging varies depending on the location and the type of charging station.
In some cases, the cost is based on the amount of electricity used, while in others, it may be a flat fee. Tesla owners can use other public charging stations as well, but they may be subject to different payment structures depending on the provider.
Let’s jump into the details.
Tesla Charging Options:
Tesla is giving customers amazing charging facilities with charging stations and home charging services. Before you check out the cost of charging, we would like to talk about the charging options that Tesla provides. Take a look-
1. Supercharger
When it is too fast charging, nothing beats the Tesla Supercharger. It will charge your device but for this, you have to pay it. In this case, you only need to pay for charging if the device is a newer model. For the older models or older vehicles, you don’t need to pay at all. This makes the charging for the old vehicles free.
2. Designation Charger
After the Supercharger, we will talk about the Designation Charger. A network of hotels, businesses, and other locations will afford you this service. In this case, charging can be free. On the other hand, at times, it might cost you a bit.
However, the cost is relatively very low here. But if you expect that you want your Tesla to be charged fast, this isn’t the option you should go for. This is a slow process. It will afford you 20 miles to 30 miles of range for every hour of charging the vehicle.
3. Public Charger
Then we have the “Public Charger.” This one is offered by several companies for providing charging facilities for EVs like Tesla. However, you need to pay for charging your device in the Public Charger. You will be billed to your credit card.
4. Home Charger
And finally, we can discuss the home charging factor. Yes, you can charge your Tesla EV at your home! All you need is your electrical circuit tired to the home electric service. And this is the most used charging method that the Tesla owners follow.
So, we can easily understand that charging Tesla isn’t free every time. Only if you are the owner of an old Tesla model, you can charge your Tesla for free.
After the older models, Tesla has worked a lot on their design and facilities that if they don’t charge you for charging the batteries, they will be at a loss. So, in return for a small amount of fee, Tesla provides charging facilities for the Tesla new model car owners.
The Cost of Charging a Tesla
The cost of charging your Tesla vehicle completely depends on where you are charging. The geographic location is a factor when it comes to charging the Tesla battery. The reason behind this is the electricity rates.
Different geographic location has different rates. Even in one country, there are different electricity rates. And so, it highly depends on the area where you are charging the vehicle. The charge of charging the vehicle will depend on the electricity rate.
Now, let’s come to the part of the Supercharger. If you are planning to charge your vehicle at a Supercharger, you need to pay around 0.25 for every LKW. This one is for the Tesla Model S or Tesla Model X (only if these models are purchased after January 2017.)
However, if you are thinking about where the free charge comes in this is it! When you rely on Supercharging and it purchases before January 2017, you don’t need to pay! Yes, the charging is completely free!
At times, you might plan to charge your vehicle at home. Well, the local cost or the local electricity rate will be determining the total charging cost here. Check the average electricity rates of your locality and then you can charge it.
For the U.S. it will cost you about 0.135 for every kWh. To learn how much the home charging cost, all you need is to get the battery capacity of your vehicle and then multiply it with the electricity rate! The answer will tell you how much you need to pay for charging Tesla at your home!
Also Read: Can You Charge Tesla On 110V? [How Long Does It Take]
Wrap Up
Some will surely tell you that charging Tesla is completely free. But that doesn’t happen always. The model of the car is a factor here. Along with this, the location you are staying in also has things to do with the cost you need to pay.
The less the electricity rates, the lower the cost for charging your EV! Do you have an older Tesla model? If yes, you are lucky!
