Tesla recently started opening its Supercharger network to outside EV brands, but the influx of more vehicles to charge has put a strain on the system. To help with the surge, the automaker has started charging congestion fees of up to $1 per minute at busy Supercharger locations.
The fee is intended to get drivers in and out of the charging stations faster by making it more expensive to charge to 100 percent. Some Superchargers already charge an idle fee that discourages leaving a fully- or almost fully-charged vehicle plugged in for too long, and the new congestion fee starts once a vehicle has reached 90 percent.
Tesla’s Supercharger network is set to become the standard for several major automotive OEMs in the coming years. Ford, General Motors, and many others have announced plans to adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), so the Supercharger network will only become busier as time goes on.
Tesla hasn’t offered details on where and when the fees would be implemented, only saying that “certain” chargers will have the fee. Though annoying for some, the charges will likely be a good thing for congestion, as some new owners aren’t quite up to speed on charging etiquette. Anything that encourages moving along when the vehicle reaches a somewhat acceptable state of charge will be a positive thing for everyone at the location.
[Image: Tesla]
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