Until the 15th January 2017 all Tesla Models or Model X were delivered with FREE supercharging for the life of the vehicle. I have previously written about how it is possible to drive around the UK purely using the charging network. However, Tesla have revised their position on Supercharging and all vehicles ordered after this date will have to pay for using the supercharging network (after a small free credit). So what does this mean in real terms?
Let’s look at the pricing. In the UK the pricing structure is very simple. You get 400kWh of charge per annum for FREE and then every kWh after that is charged at £0.20 per kWh. This is a much simpler and fairer charging structure than Ecotricty, In my opinion. It’s also cheaper compared to the £0.28 per kWh from my tests.
It does mean that at current prices and my average of 325 Wh/mile the equivalent cost per mile is 6.5pence. That’s obviously based on paid for 100% supercharged costs. If charging at home it would be around 3.9pence per mile.
Bottom line is that Supercharging is now almost twice as expensive as charging at home but 29% cheaper than Ecotricity.
I have simulated my last 6 months driving to see what it would cost in real terms. Assuming every journey from home starts with a 90% full battery and returns home with more than 10%. So any round trip of around 200 miles is done solely on the ‘cheap’ home charge and any longer journeys, of which most of mine are, having been working in Cardiff and Glasgow for the last 6 months, would utilise the supercharger network.
I’ll figure out a nice way to represent the raw data but the outcome is this:
17,000 miles driven
7800 @ Supercharger rates = £507
9200 @ Home Charging rates = £358
Total Electricity costs £801.
If this were extrapolated over 12 months:
15,600 @ Supercharger rates. = 5070 kWh less 400 kWh free = 4670 kWh = £934
18400 @ Home Charging rates = 5980 kWh = £717
Total annual electricity costs of £1651 or £0.05 pence per mile. Which compares to my current car, the Toyota Auris Hybrid which costs £0.11 pence per mile