Tesla Supercharging Now More Expensive Than Petrol Refuelling
upstart writes in with an IRC submission for FatPhil:
Tesla Supercharging now more expensive than petrol refuelling:
Teslas are now more expensive to recharge than it is to fuel an equivalent petrol-powered car - at least if you're using the Tesla Supercharger network.
A recent price increase to use the fast-charging Tesla Superchargers and incorrect fuel figures on the Tesla website mean claims that recharging using a Supercharger is "less than the cost of petrol" are incorrect.
[...] While EVs have always cost more than their rival internal combustion engine cars, the promise of lower running costs has been a key part of the appeal.
Tesla used its Supercharging network as a lure for buyers, particularly in the early days after the brand arrived in Australia, in many cases offering free charging.
But those purchasing the more affordable Model 3 - believed to be the top-selling EV in Australia - are forced to pay the full 52c/kWh, making Supercharging more costly than refuelling with premium unleaded.
[...] He says most EV drivers will use home charging or destination chargers - including at shopping centres and in public areas - which are much cheaper or free.
"EVs are cheaper to run because you can locally charge them at home and you can use solar."
Most Tesla destination chargers are also free and many households only pay 25-30c/kWh for electricity, making it much cheaper to recharge at home. Off-peak rates can be half that.
But it doesn't excuse the blatantly incorrect figures on the Tesla website in claiming Supercharging is cheaper than paying for petrol.
Tesla has not provided a comment.
Ed Note - The analysis in the article is based on a particular use case and is tied to local pricing for petrol and electricity. As the article points out, owners are going to charge at home most of the time. This bring me to a different question though. What is the "average" price in your location for petrol per liter/gallon and electricity per kWh? --Fnord666
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