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Tesla sends out 'don't use our Superchargers all the time' letters

Model S Owners Don't Take Kindly To Such Things

tesla supercharger station
tesla supercharger station
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First, there's the case of a Tesla Motors employee reportedly being scolded for missing work to witness the birth of his kid. Now, there are letters scolding some Tesla Model S owners for overusing the company's Supercharger network of electric-vehicle chargers. Yes, it looks like the California-based electric-vehicle maker may be on the wrong side of some public-relations missteps.

For this most recent case, there is a thread over at Tesla Motors Club led by a bunch of Model S owners who last week started receiving letters saying they need to cut down on their use of Superchargers, and to move their cars faster when they do use them. The TMC thread, which was pushing 700 posts as of Tuesday afternoon, includes many letter recipients who've said their closest Supercharger was 75 to 100 miles from home and who had just used it a handful of times or so. The official wording from Tesla about the Superchargers is that, instead of "free forever," CEO Elon Musk is now talking about the Superchargers as offering "free long-distance travel forever." See the difference?

The subtle-as-a-hammer letter includes the sentence: "As a frequent user of local Superchargers, we ask that you decrease your local Supercharging and promptly move your Model S once charging is complete." We're guessing that these aren't the kind of letters people who can afford $100,000 cars are used to receiving.

Tesla representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from AutoblogGreen. So far, Tesla has 500 charging stations housing more than 2,800 Superchargers worldwide. And while many of those chargers were first deployed on the East and West Coasts of the US, the company has managed to string them along a lot of highways crossing North America. Have any of you gotten this letter from Tesla?
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The following is the text of the letter, as reported by numerous sites

Dear XX,

One of the great benefits of owning Model S is the many ways to easily charge. Between home charging, Destination Charging, and Supercharging, there is a solution for any application and adventure.

In particular, the Supercharger Network is the fastest, largest and quickest growing charging network on the planet. The Supercharger Network has grown tremendously to meet the needs of our owners and so far more than 150 Stations have opened globally in 2015.

However, as fast and prevalent as Superchargers are they will never be as convenient as charging at home. The true convenience value of EV ownership is unlocked when owners enjoy the ease of charging at home each night and Supercharging only when needed. Simply plug in when you arrive home and Model S will charge right away or at the time you've scheduled using the Touchscreen or Mobile App. Long before morning, your car will be fully charged for the next day. There is no extra travel time and no waiting.

The Supercharger Network's intent remains to expand and enhance your long distance travel while providing the flexibility for occasional needed use during local trips. Our goal is to provide the best charging experience, keeping charge times low to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. As a frequent user of local Superchargers, we ask that you decrease your local Supercharging and promptly move your Model S once charging is complete. Doing so ensures a better experience for the whole Tesla ownership community and allows Supercharger resources to be available for those who need them most.

Our helpful charge time and cost calculator shows just how little it costs to fill up at home. Using the national average cost per kWh of $0.12 and a 40 mile daily commute, topping up at home is under $2.00. In addition, many utilities offer incentives for off-peak charging, allowing you to realize additional savings of up to 50% depending on your local utility provider.

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