Tesla to charge vehicles left plugged in after charging.

Tesla Motors is following up on its promise to make drivers pay if they leave vehicles at a Supercharger station long after they are fully charged.

In a blog post published this month, the company said it will charge a 40-cents-a-minute fee for vehicles at its Supercharger stations that aren't unplugged after charging. The "idle fee" follows a blog post in November stating that Tesla owners who order their vehicles after Jan. 1, 2017, will not have unlimited access to the Supercharger network and will be charged a fee after they go through an annually allotted 400 kWh of charge. Despite the new fees, Tesla said in November the network "will never be a profit center."

Tesla's Supercharger network has been key to growing its customer base. The extensive system, which allows owners to drive across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia, reaches half a charge in 20 minutes. Charging electric vehicles at other stations, such as those of the ChargePoint network, can take an hour or more.Tesla's fast and convenient charging has been a selling point for EV customers. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said on Facebook this month that he decided to buy a second Model S rather than a Chevy Bolt because it would work better for road trips.

The recent changes are intended to help expand the 769-station network and ease congestion, according to Tesla. They also come as the automaker gears up to deliver the first Model 3 sedans in late 2017. Tesla has said it has received 373,000 pre-orders for the $35,000 vehicle, which could significantly contribute to Supercharger congestion.

Overcrowded Supercharger stations have become a growing problem for Tesla owners, who have to wait for a charger while vehicles sit fully charged but still plugged in. The Tesla app allows an owner to monitor a car's charging status remotely, but the feature has done little to prevent people from overstaying their welcome at the stations.

Owners have complained about the backups on Twitter, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote in a response to one such tweet on Dec. 10 that he would "take action." A week later, Tesla announced the idle fee, which gives an owner a five-minute grace period to unplug a vehicle once it has finished charging. Violators will have to pay accrued fees on their next visit to the service centers.

Musk added on Twitter that fees will not be charged at stations that are "basically deserted."

The company, however, expects the changes to be temporary. In its blog post, Tesla said: "We envision a future where cars move themselves once fully charged, enhancing network efficiency and the customer experience even further."

Source: http://autoweek.com/