Tesla Supercharger Network Adds Idle Fee To Boost Availability

Recharging an electric car while out and about is, unfortunately, still a hassle at times. It's not just a matter of finding an electric car charging station, but also finding a free spot within that station. For this reason, Tesla has announced a new idle fee that will bill car owners who continue to take up a Supercharger spot after their car has finished charging.

Tesla announced the fee today, saying it aims to address issues of Supercharger availability. Namely, any Tesla car owner who allows their car to sit at a Supercharger after it has finished charging will be billed $0.40 per minute. The only exception is if they move the car within the first five minutes after charging has finished — in that case, Tesla will waive the fee.

The auto maker says it would one day like Tesla cars to move themselves away from the Supercharger after they finish recharging, but that future isn't reality yet. In the mean time, drivers must be courteous to others and move their car to a different place once it is recharged, otherwise other drivers are forced to sit for long periods of time waiting for a free spot.

"A customer would never leave a car parked by the pump at a gas [station] and the same thinking applies with Superchargers," Tesla says. Fortunately, it's not hard to keep an eye on your car's charging level — the mobile app alerts drivers when their car is close to finished and later on when charging is complete.

SOURCE: Tesla Blog