SAN JOSE, Calif. _ The days of free Tesla supercharging are coming to an end.
The Palo Alto, Calif.-based automaker said Monday it would phase in fees for using its fast-charging network. Teslas ordered after Jan. 1 will receive a 400-kilowatt-hour credit _ good for roughly 1,000 miles _ every year. Additional charging will cost users, although Tesla did not set a price. Existing Tesla owners should not be affected, the company said.
"There will be a small fee to supercharge, which will be charged incrementally and cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car," the company said. All vehicles will come equipped with hardware necessary for fast-charging.
CEO Elon Musk hinted about adding fees for fast charging in May, saying the company could not afford to give free electricity to drivers with its $35,000 Model 3 sedan. The vehicle is expected to roll out late next year.
Tesla installed more than 4,600 fast charging stations in its so-called Supercharger Network. The network stretches across the U.S. and can deliver as much as 170 miles of range in 30 minutes.
Introduced four years ago, the free stations became popular and regular stops for Tesla owners, creating lines and jockeying for charging spots. The company sent out letters last year to owners, reminding them the network was designed for long-distance travelers needing a quick fill-up to reach their destinations, not for daily top-offs.
Tesla said the additional income will be used to expand and enhance the Supercharger Network.
"I guess we knew it wouldn't be free forever," one Tesla fan wrote Monday on the company's website. "Especially with people abusing it for local charging."
The White House also announced last week it would be boosting infrastructure for electric vehicles along highways. The Department of Transportation is setting up 48 national electric vehicle charging corridors on highways, covering nearly 25,000 miles in 35 states.
The corridors will develop a national program of signs and branding to stir public interest. The Federal Highway Administration will also bring together public agencies, automakers and alternative-fuel providers to expand infrastructure for electric and alternative-fuel vehicles.
