Charging the Tesla at the Supercharger is no cheaper than on petrol and diesel
Charging electric cars is no longer as convenient as it used to be. The energy crisis has also had a clear impact on the four-wheeler market and, as far as motorists are concerned, on the costs of managing and using vehicles. Using the car, in recent months, has become more expensive due to expensive fuels which, without the cut in excise duties, would in many cases be unsustainable.
Even for electric cars there is a need to deal with "expensive energy" and even Tesla's Superchargers have raised charging prices. In fact, during the month of September 2022, Tesla started a remodeling of the tariffs for its charging points which have now reached record values, particularly in Italy. The increases on the charging rates of electric cars exceed 30% compared to the prices of a few months ago (for Tesla and the Superchargers we are at + 35%) and call into question the actual convenience of zero-emission cars.
For Italian motorists (and others) who have chosen or will choose an electric car, a “new era” has in fact begun due to the substantial increase in recharging costs at public stations. So let's see what has changed for electric car owners and, in particular, for those who rely on Tesla's Superchargers and what could be the future consequences on zero-emission mobility which, due to the high charging costs, it may not be as affordable as it used to be.
Charging electric cars: dear energy
As a result, recharge the 'electric car has become more expensive than in the past, reducing one of the main advantages that historically characterize zero-emission mobility. The costs of using an electric car have increased unless you can rely on a domestic photovoltaic system capable of guaranteeing electricity at no cost. In all other cases (domestic top-up or top-up at a public column) the rates have skyrocketed.
Federicovecchio.com
Tesla Supercharger: prices more than doubled
Tesla è has long been an absolute reference in the electric car sector and Superchargers represent a central part of its success. In recent months, the company has begun to open its charging points to non-customers, confirming its leading role as a provider of electric car charging services.Just three years ago, in 2019, charging the electric car to Tesla's Superchargers cost € 0.24 / kWh. Subsequently, the cost was adjusted to € 0.33 / kWh and then to € 0.5 / kWh. The latest price increase, announced in September 2022, has completely changed the cards on the table for motorists. Today, in fact, recharging has a cost of € 0.66 / kWh. This is a significant increase: 16 cents more than the previous price and more than double compared to the past.
Note that Tesla's new Supercharger charging price is similar to the price of electricity for domestic supplies in the Maggior Tutela service. ARERA, the Italian energy authority, has, in fact, announced a + 59% increase in the cost of energy during the fourth quarter of 2022, bringing the cost per kWh for customers in the protected market to 0.66 euro (for the "typical family").
The price increase does not cancel the quality of the service
Choosing Superchargers for Tesla owners continues to be, in many cases , the right choice for electric car charging. Tesla's network of charging points, despite the price increase, always represents a reference for motorists from various points of view. We must consider the great diffusion of Superchargers in Italy (especially in some regions) which allows you to easily find a point where you can recharge your batteries and increase the range of your car.Making use advantageous of the Superchargers there are also the many services offered by Tesla for the management of the entire charging phase, with the possibility, for example, of planning the trip already in the departure phase, evaluating the stops to be made for charging, and monitoring in real-time charging via app. Furthermore, by exploiting fast charging up to 250 kW, waiting times can be considerably reduced (in 15 minutes it is possible to obtain up to 275 kilometers of autonomy).
There is also a comparison with the other tariffs for electric recharging. In fact, Tesla was not the only company to raise the cost of charging charges for electric cars. The increases concern various providers such as, for example, Enel X Way which has brought "pay per use" recharging without subscription to a maximum of € 0.99 / kWh (for fast recharging).
Is it still worth investing in a Tesla?
The increase in the cost of charging Superchargers calls into question the actual convenience of a Tesla. Using the electric cars of the American company, relying on Tesla's proprietary charging network, now involves a greater expense for "refueling" which translates into higher costs per kilometer than in the past.As known, the real consumption of a Tesla, like any electric car, varies according to several factors and also significantly. The data declared by the company, however, help us to get an idea of the actual cost of using Tesla's electric cars. Let's take the case of a Tesla Model 3 with an average consumption of 16 kWh per 100 kilometers.
With the new Supercharger charging costs, to travel 100 kilometers with the Tesla Model 3 analyzed it is necessary to take into account a cost of around 10.5 euros. This is a significantly higher expense than in the past. The increase in the cost of energy inevitably weighs on the actual costs of using a Tesla, as well as any other electric car.
Federicovecchio.com Then there is something to consider the comparison with petrol cars and diesel cars. Currently (early October 2022), the price at the petrol pump is 1.65 euros per liter while that of diesel is 1.76 euros per liter. To guarantee lower prices than what would be the "standard" conditions is the cut in excise duties, which lightens the cost.
With these fuel prices, to travel 100 kilometers spending just over 10 euros it is sufficient a petrol car with an average consumption of 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers or less or a diesel car with an average consumption of 6 liters per 100 kilometers or less. The difference between petrol / diesel and electric cars is therefore reduced due to the enormous increase in retail electricity costs. For example, taking into consideration the declared consumption as always, a BMW 4 Series 420i and an Audi A5 SPB 40 with exclusively internal combustion engines belong perfectly to the two categories mentioned; situation even more unbalanced if we consider mild or plug-in able to further reduce consumption.
The actual convenience of Tesla (in terms of cost of use per kilometer) must always be related to the model chosen and the methods of use. It is clear, however, that the increase in the cost of public or private recharging (with prices more than doubled compared to the past) and the no longer very high prices of petrol and diesel (also thanks to the cut in excise duties) rekindle the comparison between electric cars and endothermic. The expensive energy, in fact, makes everything less economical but it should be noted, however, that the Tesla can be recharged in "generic" columns without necessarily going to the more expensive but faster Supercharger.
consider the gap in the purchase price which, despite the 2022 car incentives, continues to be another obstacle in the transition to zero-emission driving.
