Tesla has lowered the prices of its compressors throughout Europe overnight. In France, prices have dropped significantly after a big increase in September: while it was then necessary to count €0.67 per kWh, the price now started again at €0.32 per kWh. Even if the price had already been partially reduced afterwards, it is still half the price and it is a level comparable to that of last year, as I detailed in the series dedicated to my experience with a Model 3 .
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A drastic drop which confirms that Tesla is closely monitoring wholesale electricity prices, which has always been its policy. The automaker has always maintained that the supercharger network was not designed to make a lot of money directly, it was created to improve the fast charging network and facilitate the sale of its own cars. Electricity is not sold at cost price, Tesla keeps a margin which is used in particular to extend the network, but the company proves that it can react in both directions, upwards and downwards.
This is good news for drivers of electric vehicles, who will thus be able to find much more advantageous prices compared to thermal. If I take the reference route that I used in the Tesla series, the cost per 100 km for my car is now around €5.5. However, this price adjustment will perhaps not be as long-lasting as it once was and the manufacturer seems ready to change prices almost from day to day. It is also ready to make its grid more complex to better reflect the reality of the market.
Thus, the tariff of €0.32 per kWh is valid during off-peak hours. Outside this time slot, the price is slightly higher, starting at €0.36 per kWh in France, knowing that peak hours only last from 4 to 8 p.m. every day. All these prices are reserved for Tesla customers and other drivers of electric cars with a subscription, for others it takes between 0.49 and 0.55 € per kWh. This remains advantageously compared to Ionity, which displays a public rate of €0.69 per kWh of electricity.
Prices can also vary by a few cents depending on the compressor, even if they remain close throughout France. On a European scale, this varies from one country to another: from €0.31 in the Netherlands, but around €0.50 in Belgium, Spain or Germany and even €0.60 in Italy or Austria. Tesla follows local rates, which explains the large quantities.
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