Tesla extends peak charging hours at California Superchargers amid EV sales boom

Tesla owners in California  who want to save money at the company’s branded Superchargers will have to wait until 9 p.m. to power up their battery. The company pushed its off-peak charging hours from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in California, according to an email from Tesla that was shared on Reddit.

Tesla peak hours, which are now from 11 am to 9 p.m., is about twice the cost, on a per kilowatt-hour basis, than off peak hours.

The later start time for the automaker’s largest market is expected to help Tesla manage costs of maintaining the network as it continues to ramp up sales on a large scale. Encouraging owners to charge their cars later in the day could help manage the long lines and wait times for California’s Superchargers.

Image Credits: Screenshot/Reddit

Tesla’s network of 480-volt direct current fast-charging Supercharger stations were free to early customers, but the automaker is finding ways to manage and monetize traffic as it gears up to sell more cars worldwide and introduce new models. On average, Supercharger stations charge 48 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is roughly double the rate for off-peak hours.

Customers can get about 200 miles of range on a 15-minute charge.