Recharge: Is the Tesla subscription at €9.99/month worth it?

To take advantage of preferential charging rates, Tesla offers a monthly subscription to those who do not own its cars. Interesting?

For those who might have missed an episode, the Tesla Supercharger network is the largest fast charging network in the world, with over 60,000 charging stations located along major highways. In France, there are over 1,850 charging stations spread across more than 145 stations, and in Europe, the network includes over 11,000 charging stations at more than 900 locations.

For a few years now, Tesla has decided to open its network – in order to enhance its economic relevance – to vehicles from its competitors. But of course, the rates applied are not the same as for Tesla customers. Aside from the kWh price being about 25% higher (between 6 and 13 cents per euro on average), you also need to add a paid subscription.

What is the price to subscribe to Tesla Superchargers?

As the network of charging stations in France and worldwide continues to grow, competition is taking market share from Tesla, which has agreed to reduce its monthly subscription price in April 2024. From €12.99 per month, the subscription has dropped to €9.99 per month, representing a significant decrease of 23%. Over a year, this amounts to a total of €36, which is better in your pocket than in Elon Musk’s.

Another option: choose the annual rate set at €100, which is equivalent to €8.33 per month, but paid in one lump sum. This choice is especially interesting for heavy drivers “not in Tesla,” as it represents an additional saving of €19.98 compared to the monthly offer. Small streams…

How to subscribe?

• I go to the Apple or Google Store, depending on my smartphone
• I download the Tesla app
• I create my account
• I then go to the “Charging” section and follow the instructions where I will be asked for additional information (name, first name, model, address, payment method credit card or IBAN, etc.)

Is it really interesting?

No need to beat around the bush: absolutely yes! First of all, you should know that each Supercharger station has its own pricing per kWh. These prices vary according to the hours of the day based on peak usage experiences. This is one of the methods chosen by Tesla to spread out demand across its network and avoid congestion at the charging stations.

In rural areas, it is cheaper than in the Paris region, where land prices are higher.

Thus, the price per kWh varies, depending on the time of day, from about €0.27 to €0.55 for non-subscribers to Tesla. For subscribers, you need to deduct an average of 7 to 13 cents. Therefore, assuming that the average price difference is €0.10 per kWh, the €9.99 subscription will be offset after 99.9 kWh, or approximately 500 kilometers on the highway with a Tesla Model Y.

In other words, the subscription will be paid off in the span of a single long trip. And where Tesla outshines its competition is that this monthly subscription can be paused at any time. Be careful, a month started is paid. And without intervention on your part, the subscription automatically renews each month.

So when you know you’re about to go on vacation, you activate your account. On a trip from Paris to Lisbon, for example, the savings will be significant compared to charging at standard highway service areas where the kWh can reach up to €0.69.

In summary, this offer from Tesla is very relevant, don’t hesitate.

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