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They should stop fighting market mechanisms and do dynamic pricing. It's obviously the way it should be done. Price should change upon the cost of the underlyin

They should stop fighting market mechanisms and do dynamic pricing. It's obviously the way it should be done. Price should change upon the cost of the underlying electricity and there should be surge pricing once queues form to discourage overcharging during peak usage. Elon is normally so smart I don't understand why he's fighting the math based approach here.

msandford 10y ago
People like predictable pricing. You sign a lease rather than renting month to month so your housing can't double in price just because. If it can cost between $0.50 and $500 to "fill up" your Tesla, that would SUBSTANTIALLY alter the way owning a Tesla is perceived.
- 3pt14159 10y ago
  People also like being able to get an uber when they really need one instead of relying on cabs that never show up on Friday nights. The cost of electricity to completely fill up a Telsa is between $5 and $20 depending on time of day and where exactly you are in North America. With 1-3x surge pricing call it $5 to $60. If you're filling up half a tank (say from 25% to 75%, the fast charging window) that's going to cost you $2.50 to $30, and usually around $10. This isn't even worth thinking about it for current Tesla owners.
pjc50 10y ago
Most people really hate this kind of pricing. It would combine badly with "range uncertainty" for people who've not yet bought one: not only do you not know how far you can go, you don't know how much you'll have to pay for it either.
- wavefunction 10y ago
  That's true for petrol engines, though. The price fluctuates, though not generally wildly, and I know -for example- that it will cost me $25-$30 to fill up my car. I imagine the fluctuations of the electrical grid are no different and likely more stable. It would make sense to charge more during the day when there's a higher load on the grid anyways, and considering the price of Teslas, I am confident the owners can afford it.

msandford 10y ago

People like predictable pricing. You sign a lease rather than renting month to month so your housing can't double in price just because. If it can cost between $0.50 and $500 to "fill up" your Tesla, that would SUBSTANTIALLY alter the way owning a Tesla is perceived.

3pt14159 10y ago
People also like being able to get an uber when they really need one instead of relying on cabs that never show up on Friday nights. The cost of electricity to completely fill up a Telsa is between $5 and $20 depending on time of day and where exactly you are in North America. With 1-3x surge pricing call it $5 to $60. If you're filling up half a tank (say from 25% to 75%, the fast charging window) that's going to cost you $2.50 to $30, and usually around $10. This isn't even worth thinking about it for current Tesla owners.

pjc50 10y ago

Most people really hate this kind of pricing. It would combine badly with "range uncertainty" for people who've not yet bought one: not only do you not know how far you can go, you don't know how much you'll have to pay for it either.

wavefunction 10y ago
That's true for petrol engines, though. The price fluctuates, though not generally wildly, and I know -for example- that it will cost me $25-$30 to fill up my car. I imagine the fluctuations of the electrical grid are no different and likely more stable. It would make sense to charge more during the day when there's a higher load on the grid anyways, and considering the price of Teslas, I am confident the owners can afford it.