News
Top 3 reasons why having to pay for Tesla Supercharger use won’t deter buyers
The “will they or won’t they?” argument over Tesla providing free-for-life unlimited Supercharger use is finally receiving more clarity. The company announced that it will provide roughly 1,000 free miles of energy before charging a fee for Supercharger use on cars ordered after January 1, 2017.
But is this the end for Tesla? Will people be lining up in throngs to cancel their Model 3 reservations? Boycotting Tesla and running to buy another car? Nope, not even a little bit. Here are some of the top reasons why this new announcement won’t deter buyers.
1. Pay less for your Tesla
I’ll jump right into arguably the best reason first. The vast majority of new cars buyers have a budget. That reality means having to choose carefully on the options to equip your Tesla with. By decoupling Supercharger use from the price of the vehicle, Tesla is theoretically able to reduce the price barrier to entry.
Plus, you wouldn’t necessarily want to incur a pre-estimated Supercharger energy cost, charged by Tesla, on a vehicle that may not see its fair share of long distance travel and Supercharger use.
Tesla is anticipated to publish details for its new Supercharging program by year end. But regardless of what will be announced, crowdsourced Model 3 reservation data captured through Model3Tracker.info suggests that it won’t even matter. Nearly 80% of Model 3 reservation holders said they were willing to pay an extra fee for access to the Supercharger network. This is even prior to Tesla announcing that it would begin charging for Supercharger use after the allotted 400 kWh cap (~1,000 miles).
2. You have to pay for fuel either way
The Tesla team knew and has repeatedly said that in order to further the adoption of sustainable transport, they had to make a car at least as compelling as its gasoline-powered counterpart. Since the Model 3 will be at least as compelling as a comparable gasoline car, would-be buyers aren’t going to ditch a vehicle that will require paying for fueling in favor of another vehicle that, too, will incur a cost on fuel. This is especially true when the majority of your charging can be done at home, which is infinitely more convenient, and more cost effective, than stopping at a gas station.
Charging at home, in most markets, is very favorable to the cost of gas. Charging on the Supercharger network beyond your free credits will also be favorable and “cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car”, according to Tesla. Mix that in with a growing destination program and I’m confident your Tesla road trips will still be economical.
3. Supercharger Credits can be rewarded
When I conceded that Supercharger credits may work after all, I talked about how Tesla could have fun with it. It’s your 1 year anniversary of ownership, take a trip on us! It’s Nikola Tesla’s birthday… You just reached 50,000 gasoline free miles… Aside from the ability to award additional free credits at will, Tesla could also decide to increase the amount of free credits they give per year. I truly believe Tesla is a good company that does right by its customers. For that reason, I think they aimed a bit low with the credit amounts to ensure they can afford to meet the promised amount. I also believe that if they use data to analyze the costs (they will) and find out that they can afford more than they are giving, they’ll do that too.
And remember …
At the end of the day, there’s no free lunch. Reasonable buyers know the truth. Free for life was not sustainable and a bit too good to be true. Model 3 is shaping up to be about the coolest and most important car of our lifetimes. For those of us stateside, an ode to the fighting spirit of America. Supporting a little, unknown company fighting against all odds – especially in light of current events – and completely upending an entire industry is worth every penny.
News
Tesla executive moves on after 13 years: ‘It has been a privilege to serve’
“It is challenging to encapsulate 13 years in a single post. The journey at Tesla has been one of continuous evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, building, and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Security, Sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve,” Jegannathan said in the post.
Tesla executive Raj Jegannathan is moving on from the company after 13 years, he announced on LinkedIn on Monday.
“It is challenging to encapsulate 13 years in a single post. The journey at Tesla has been one of continuous evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, building, and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Security, Sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve,” Jegannathan said in the post.
After starting as a Senior Staff Engineer in Fremont back in November 2012, Jegannathan slowly worked his way through the ranks at Tesla. His most recent role was Vice President of IT/AI Infrastructure, Business Apps, and Infosec.
However, it was reported last year that Jegannathan had taken on a new role, which was running the North American sales team following the departure of Troy Jones, who had held the position previously.
While Jegannathan’s LinkedIn does not mention this position specifically, it seemed to be accurate, considering Tesla had not explicitly promoted any other person to the role.
It is a big loss for Tesla, but not a destructive departure. Jegannathan was one of the few company executives who answered customer and fan questions on X, a unique part of the Tesla ownership experience.
Tesla to offer Full Self-Driving gifting program: here’s how it will work
It currently remains unclear if Jegannathan was removed from the position or if he left under his own accord.
“As I move on, I do so with a full heart and excitement for what lies ahead. Thank you, Tesla, for this wonderful opportunity!” he concluded.
The departure marks a continuing trend of executives leaving the company, as the past 24 months have seen some significant turnover at the executive level.
Tesla has shown persistently elevated executive turnover over the past two years, as names like Drew Baglino, Rohan Patel, Rebecca Tinucci, Daniel Ho, Omead Afshar, Milan Kovac, and Siddhant Awasthi have all been notable names to exit the company in the past two years.
There are several things that could contribute to this. Many skeptics will point to Elon Musk’s politics, but that is not necessarily the case.
Tesla is a difficult, but rewarding place to work. It is a company that requires a lot of commitment, and those who are halfway in might not choose to stick around. Sacrificing things like time with family might not outweigh the demands of Tesla and Musk.
Additionally, many of these executives have made a considerable amount of money thanks to stock packages the company offers to employees. While many might be looking for new opportunities, some might be interested in an early retirement.
Tesla is also in the process of transitioning away from its most notable division, automotive. While it still plans to manufacture cars in the millions, it is turning more focus toward robotics and autonomy, and these plans might not align with what some executives might want for themselves. There are a wide variety of factors in the decision to leave a job, so it is important not to immediately jump to controversy.
News
Lemonade launches Tesla FSD insurance program in Oregon
The program was announced by Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger on social media platform X.
Tesla drivers in Oregon can now receive significant insurance discounts when using FSD, following the launch of Lemonade’s new Autonomous Car insurance program.
The program was announced by Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger on social media platform X.
Lemonade launches FSD-based insurance in Oregon
In a post on X, Wininger confirmed that Lemondade’s Autonomous Car insurance product for Tesla is now live in Oregon. The program allows eligible Tesla owners to receive roughly 50% off insurance costs for every mile driven using Tesla’s FSD system.
“And… we’re ON. @Lemonade_Inc’s Autonomous Car for @Tesla FSD is now live in Oregon. Tesla drivers in Oregon can now get ~50% off their Tesla FSD-driven miles + the best car insurance experience in the US, bar none,” Wininger wrote in his post.
As per Lemonade on its official website, the program is built on Tesla’s safety data, which indicates that miles driven using FSD are approximately twice as safe as those driven manually. As a result, Lemonade prices those miles at a lower rate. The insurer noted that as FSD continues to improve, associated discounts could increase over time.
How Lemonade tracks FSD miles
Lemonade’s FSD discount works through a direct integration with Tesla vehicles, enabled only with a driver’s explicit permission. Once connected, the system distinguishes between miles driven manually and those driven using FSD, applying the discount automatically to qualifying miles.
There is no minimum FSD usage requirement. Drivers who use FSD occasionally still receive discounted rates for those miles, while non-FSD miles are billed at competitive standard rates. Lemonade also emphasized that coverage and claims handling remain unchanged regardless of whether a vehicle is operating under manual control or FSD at the time of an incident.
The program is currently available only to Teslas equipped with Hardware 4 or newer, running firmware version 2025.44.25.5 or later. Lemonade also allows policyholders to bundle Tesla insurance with renters, homeowners, pet, or life insurance policies for additional savings.
News
Tesla exec: Preparations underway but no firm timeline yet for FSD rollout in China
The information was related by Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao in a comment to local media.
Tesla has not set a specific launch date for Full Self-Driving in China, despite the company’s ongoing preparations for a local FSD rollout.
The information was related by Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao in a comment to local media.
Tesla China prepares FSD infrastructure
Speaking in a recent media interview, the executive confirmed that Tesla has established a local training center in China to support the full adaptation of FSD to domestic driving conditions, as noted in a report from Sina News. However, she also noted that the company does not have a specific date when FSD will officially roll out in China.
“We have set up a local training center in China specifically to handle this adaptation,” Tao said. “Once officially released, it will demonstrate a level of performance that is no less than, and may even surpass, that of local drivers.”
Tao also emphasized the rapid accumulation of data by Tesla’s FSD system, with the executive highlighting that Full Self-Driving has now accumulated more than 7.5 billion miles of real-world driving data worldwide.
Possible 2026 rollout
The Tesla executive’s comments come amidst Elon Musk’s previous comments suggesting that regulatory approval in China could arrive sometime this 2026. During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in November 2025, Musk clarified that FSD had only received “partial approval” in China, though full authorization could potentially arrive around February or March 2026.
Musk reiterated that timeline at the World Economic Forum in Davos, when he stated that FSD approval in China could come as early as February.
Tesla’s latest FSD software, version 14, is already being tested in more advanced deployments in the United States. The company has also started the rollout of its fully unsupervised Robotaxis in Austin, Texas, which no longer feature safety monitors.
Tesla executive moves on after 13 years: ‘It has been a privilege to serve’
Lemonade launches Tesla FSD insurance program in Oregon
