Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, says the Model 3 will not have free access to Supercharger stations.
Tesla unveiled the all-electric sedan — the Model 3 — on March 31 this year. The Model 3 has a starting price tag of $35,000, which makes it the most affordable electric car made by Tesla. The company started taking reservations of the Model 3, which received overwhelming customer response.
"A week ago, we started taking reservations for Model 3, and the excitement has been incredible. We've now received more than 325,000 reservations, which corresponds to about $14 billion in implied future sales, making this the single biggest one-week launch of any product ever. This interest has spread completely organically. Unlike other major product launches, we haven't advertised or paid for any endorsements," says Tesla.
Customers are excited about Tesla's upcoming car, and the first Model 3 is scheduled to be delivered in December 2017.
Owners of Tesla electric vehicles (EV) have to charge their car regularly. The company has a network of recharge stations for its EVs called Supercharger stations. More than 630 Supercharger stations are located in various parts of the U.S., and the network is growing.
"Superchargers are free connectors that charge Model S and Model X in minutes instead of hours. Stations are strategically placed to minimize stops during long distance travel and are conveniently located near restaurants, shopping centers, and WiFi hot spots. Each station contains multiple Superchargers to help you get back on the road quickly," says Tesla.
With only 15 minutes of charge in one of the Superchargers, Tesla car owners can get more than 100 miles. Superchargers are free for Model X and Model S, but it will come at a cost to Model 3 owners.
During a shareholders meeting, Musk revealed that the cost of using Supercharger stations is factored into the cost of its vehicles such as Model S and Model X. However, Model 3 owners will have to pay for using the Supercharger stations.
"I don't want to make this some big news headline, but the obvious thing to do is decouple that from the cost of the Model 3. So it will still be very cheap — and far cheaper than gasoline — to drive long-distance with the Model 3, but it will not be free long distance for life unless you've purchased that package," says Musk.
The CEO also encouraged that Model 3 owners should charge their vehicle at home or at work. Musk did not reveal the cost of using Supercharger stations, and Model 3 customers will have to wait until the company officially confirms the price for using its charging stations.
Photo: Steve Jurvetson | Flickr
