Tesla has changed the way it charges you to top-up at a Supercharger

Tesla Supercharger
(Image credit: Tesla)

Tesla is revising the pricing structure of its per-minute charging services across the Supercharger Network. Prices for charging by the minute are now split across four tiers that will cost more for drivers with faster charging vehicles.

The previous per-minute pricing model was split into two tiers, one for chargers at or below 60 kW and another for those charging at 61 kW and higher. 

Now, the rates are split into four tiers, with Tier 1 handling 60 kW and lower, Tier 2 between 60 and 100 kW, Tier 3 between 100 and 180 kW, and Tier 4 at 180 kW and above. 

Tier 1 charging is cheapest, followed by Tier 2, and so on. Though per-minute costs for faster charging speeds are higher, overall charging times are lower due to compatible vehicles' ability to take on almost a full charge in around half an hour.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Tier 1Tier 2Tier 3Tier 4
SpeedCharging at or below 60kWCharging above 60kW, at or below 100kWCharging above 100kW, at or below 180kWCharging above 180kW
CostLowest price per minuteSecond-lowest price per minuteSecond-highest price per minuteHighest price per minute

The move to expand pricing tiers comes as Tesla is piloting a program to open its Supercharger network to owners of non-Tesla vehicles for the first time. 

The tests are running in the Netherlands on ten Tesla chargers and will expand to other regions if it's successful. 

Vehicles such as the Lucid Air and Porsche Taycan offer ultra-fast charging speeds, but it’s unclear at this point if Tesla will open the Supercharger Network's full charging capabilities for outside vehicle owners.

Chris Teague
Freelance Contributor

After working in the technology and software industry for several years, Chris began writing as a way to help people outside of that world understand the sometimes very technical work that goes on behind the scenes. With a lifelong love of all things automotive, Chris turned his attention to writing new vehicle reviews, detailing industry trends, and breaking news. Along the way, he earned an MBA with a focus on data analysis that has helped him gain a strong understanding of why the auto industry’s biggest companies make the decisions they do.