Tesla Inc. TSLA 4.43% is offering a new 50% discount for Supercharging during the night in metro areas in California, according to areportby Electrek.
What Happened: Several California-based Tesla owners reportedly received message in their in-app notifications, asking them to avoid the rush and save 50% on their charging fees before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. at all Superchargers in California’s major metro areas.
According to Electrek, the Palo Alto, California-based automaker started testing temporary Supercharger discounts in California last year. During off-peak hours, Tesla was charging $0.09/kWh – less than a third of the regular price per kWh at most Supercharger stations in California.
Tesla expanded the tests to other markets including Norway and Sweden earlier this year.
Why It Matters: The supercharging discount indicates Tesla’s attempts to lure people to charge at night and help reduce traffic at busy Supercharger stations during the daytime in California, one of Tesla’s most important markets. The focus on urban Superchargers may also be aimed at apartment dwellers who may face difficulty getting home charging.
Tesla describes the Supercharger network as the “world’s fastest charging network” and has been looking to expand it aggressively, particularly in urban settings. The company said in November last year that it has installed20,000 such unitsglobally.
Tesla has previously offered supercharging as a referral award and at times used the incentive to increase deliveries of its vehicles at the end of some quarters. It was reported in December last year that Tesla is offeringa year of free unlimited superchargingto undelivered Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in North America in order to boost sales.
Price Action: Tesla shares closed 4.4% higher on Monday at $691.05.