Tesla has announced the implementation of congestion fees at its high-traffic Supercharging stations across the United States, a move aimed at maximizing charging facility usage and minimizing user wait times.
With the increasing number of Tesla vehicles on the road, as well as the company’s ambitions to extend its Supercharging stations to other manufacturers’ EVs, controlling traffic congestion has become an important concern. The €1 per minute congestion costs are intended to prevent consumers from charging their EVs to full capacity (100%), so freeing up room for other users. This fee will replace the present idle costs when a vehicle reaches a State of Charge (SoC) of 90%.
The costs, according to Tesla, will apply to “certain” Supercharging stations with significant usage. These costs will be enforced automatically, even if there are available stalls, to ensure that drivers charge their vehicles only as much as necessary, rather than to maximum capacity.
Previously, Tesla charged drivers €0.47 per minute once they reached their target SoC or if their vehicle stayed connected after being completely charged. This fee doubled when every charging stall was occupied. The new congestion fees are intended to streamline this process by encouraging faster charging station turnover.
Tesla’s app alerts drivers when their vehicle reaches a certain charge level or when charging is complete. This function is critical in assisting drivers in avoiding unneeded congestion fines. However, there is no cap on the amount of congestion or idle fines that can be accrued, thus providing a financial incentive for drivers to be more conscious of their charging habits.