Tesla Introduces Supercharger Parking Fee
Due to overcrowding in urban areas, Tesla has introduced a supercharger parking fee. EV owners have a long standing habit of needlessly parking their cars in charging stalls. Though this has been a minor issue in the past, many more consumers are driving electric cars these days. Imagine pulling up to a gas station only to realize a taxi company parked their cars at each pump and left for the night. Or imagine that someone parked their car at a pump and went shopping for the day. This is precisley what’s happening at charging stations. Elon Musk agrees this is a problem that requires a solution. He says, “Supercharger spots are meant for charging, not parking.” Therefore, Tesla has recently introduced a hefty parking fee.
The owner of any Tesla that remains plugged in for more than five minutes after charging completes is assessed an “idle fee”. The idle fee is 40 cents per minute, a total of $24 per hour. The fee is added to the owner’s next service bill.
Tesla vs Michigan – Michigan Denies Wrongdoing
The only way for an automaker to sell cars in Michigan is through a franchised dealer. This has been an ongoing problem for Tesla, since they sell direct. Michigan has been accused of unethical, last minute, wording changes to a law implemented in 2014. Tesla asserted that the law was adjusted in order to keep them from selling in the state. Suspicions have continued to run high due to the clandestine nature of the adjustment. Michigan, however, asserts that the law dates back to 2000, several years before Tesla was founded.