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Mercedes EQB lease
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA

Looking to put a huge holiday ribbon on a new EV? There’s a widespread belief that buying a new car is always much cheaper than leasing it in the long run. However, we’ve found six EV lease deals that shatter that myth, with terms that pass the entire commercial clean vehicle Federal tax credit to the lessee and enable the lessee to eventually own the vehicle for thousands of dollars less than paying cash up front.

As mentioned last month, some folks are using the “1-day lease” to take advantage of these deals by buying out their lease almost immediately. This enables the federal tax credit to be applied without stipulations on foreign made vehicles with foreign made batteries or owner tax bracket considerations. Ask about this at your local dealer.

However, do the math to make sure that an early payoff is cheaper than riding out the full term, especially if the intent is to finance the buyout, as all the lease deals mentioned below except for one have a money factor that translates to an APR that is significantly less than current new car interest rates. Also, in the relatively high inflation environment we are unfortunately enjoying right now, it could be wise to defer the payment of over half the cost of the car to three years from now when the US dollar could be worth a lot less than it’s worth today.

1. 2023 Lexus RZ450e Premium

Cash: $66,689; Lease-to-own: $59,390. Lease-to-own savings: $7299

Lexus currently has a lease offer on the $62,100 RZ450e Premium that’s $499/month for 36 months, $5999 due at signing, and the option to buy for $28,808 at the end of the lease. These compelling terms are a result of a huge $15,000 lease incentive that significantly reduces the capitalized cost of this five-seat SUV with a 220-mile range, zero to sixty time of 4.6 seconds, and 34.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats.

During the three-year lease term, tallying up the $5999 plus 35 payments of $499 (the first month is paid for at signing) adds up to $23,464. At an assumed 9% tax rate on the up-front capitalized cost reduction, down, and first payment ($1818) as well as on each subsequent payment ($45/month), the total cost to lease the RZ450e is $26,899.

Lexus-RZ-450e-images

At the end of the lease term, buying the three-year-old RZ450e will cost $29,808 plus $2683 tax for a total of $32,491. All-in, the lease-to-own cost adds up to just $59,390.

In comparison, paying cash up front at delivery will cost a whole lot more: $62,100 MSRP plus $5,589 tax, less a paltry $1000 rebate, comes out to $66,689. That’s $7,299 more than walking the lease-to-own path! For the nearly 80% of consumers that finance auto purchases, Lexus does have a 2.49% promo rate on a 48-month loan, and with $7318 down the payment comes out to be $1323/month. Which is a lot, but after three years, the payoff is only $15,661. Still, the total cost to own the RZ after three years on the promo rate is $69,596 – that’s $10,200 more than leasing it.

By the way, the .00324 money factor (APR 7.78%) on Lexus’ RZ450e lease offer is relatively lofty compared to the rest of the deals mentioned here, which range from 1.68% to 4.58%. So it may be possible to save even more money by buying out the lease early and refinancing at a lower rate.

We found a number of dealers offering discounts ranging from $2527 to $4327 on the RZ450e. Lexus of Serramonte in California tops the list, followed by Lexus of Silver Spring in Maryland. Look for Lexus RZ450e deals near you.

2. 2023 Toyota bZ4X XLE FWD

Cash: $48,553; Lease-to-own: $41,627. Lease-to-own savings: $6,926

Toyota continues to improve its lease terms on the bZ4X, now down to $349/month for 36 months, $3999 due at signing, and the option to buy for $21,381 at lease end for the base XLE trim in front-wheel-drive configuration that MSRPs at $44,544. Assuming a 9% tax rate and working though the same math used on the Lexus RZ450 lease offer results in a lease-to-own cost of just $41,627.

An all-cash purchase is a much more costly proposition: its $44,544 MSRP plus 9% tax adds up to $48,553, which is almost $7000 over the lease-to-own cost. Toyota has a financing promo that’s a little better than paying cash – a $2500 incentive tied to a 48-month loan at 1.99% – but with $4626 down, monthly payment of $899, and payoff of $10,667 after three years, the lease-to-own method still comes out thousands ahead, by $5710 to be exact.

Toyota free charging

We found a couple of dealers with a relatively modest discount on this five-passenger SUV capable of covering 252 miles on a full charge, holds 27.7 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats, and scoots from zero to sixty in 6.7 seconds. Mossy Toyota and Toyota of North Hollywood in California are listing their front-drive bZ4X inventory at around $1700 below MSRP, which seems to be on par with TrueCar pricing estimates for the rest of the country except for the eastern seaboard states from Virginia northward, where it seems the bZ4X sells for a slight premium. Check for Toyota bZ4x deals in your area.

3. 2023 Subaru Solterra Premium

Cash: $50,380; Lease-to-own: $44,077. Lease-to-own savings: $6,303

Thanks to Subaru’s consistently excellent lease terms, this marks the third time in a row that the Solterra is being featured in our EV Deals write-up. Last month it was highlighted as the only all-wheel-drive EV with an average monthly lease cost under $400 (which is still the case), and now we’re talking about it again because its zero-down, $399/month lease with the option to buy for $25,421 at 36 months calculates to an after-tax lease-to-own total of just $44,077. That’s over six grand less than either paying cash up front or taking advantage of Subaru’s 72-month 0% financing offer, both costing $50,380 after adding a 9% tax on its $46,220 MSRP.

Solterra

The Solterra is built on the same dedicated modular EV platform as the Lexus RX450e and Toyota bZ4X, with the Solterra and bZ4X appearing to be near-identical twins when compared to the RZ450e’s slightly larger exterior and properly painted front fenders. The Solterra also bears a close resemblance to the bZ4X in interior dimensions and performance, capable of carrying 29 cubic feet of cargo behind its rear seats and hustling from standstill to 60mph in 6.5 seconds  – numbers that are closer to the bZ4X versus the upscale RZ450e.

Where the Solterra truly outshines its platform twin and similar electrics from other marques is its tremendous value due to lease terms that allow the lessee to walk away from the all-wheel-drive SUV after paying a total of just $16,381 over three years, tax included. That’s nearly two grand less than a front-drive bZ4x XLE, and nearly three grand less than a front-drive Nissan Ariya Engage or rear-wheel-drive VW ID.4 Pro.

We spotted Subaru dealers in various regions discounting the Solterra, ranging from $2641 to $5803 off MSRP. Check for Subaru Solterra deals near you.

4. 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB300 4MATIC

Cash: $62,338; Lease-to-own: $58,240. Lease-to-own savings: $4,098

The EQB300 4MATIC is an all-wheel-drive five-seat SUV that carries 22 cubic feet of cargo behind its second-row seats (a third row option is available), goes 232 miles on a charge, and accelerates from standstill to 60mph in seven seconds. Its current 36-month lease offer of $519/month, $5613 at signing, and option to buy for $29,057 at termination tallies up to an after-tax lease-to-own cost of $58,240. That’s $4098 less than an all-cash purchase at its $59,300 MSRP minus a $2,299 “dealer participation” discount that’s built into said lease offer, plus 9% tax. Mercedes-Benz lease offers on other EQB-Class trim levels should result in similar savings over a cash deal since they all share the same 49% residual and have a money factor that’s still on the low side (effective APR of 3.29%, versus 2.28% for the EQB300).

Mercedes EQB Tesla Y

We didn’t find any Mercedes-Benz dealership websites that advertise discounts on new inventory, but a quick check of car shopping websites indicates that average discounts ranging from about $1000 in the Northeast to over $5,000 almost everywhere else can be expected. Check for Mercedes-Benz EQB-Class deals near you.

5. 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge Core

Cash: $59,470; Lease-to-own: $56,671. Lease-to-own savings: $2,799

Now that improved-for-2024 models are already arriving at dealerships, the favorable lease terms on the 2023 C40 Recharge core (MSRP $56,390) will likely disappear sooner than later as inventory continues to dwindle. At $483/month for 36 months, $3933 due at signing, and lease-end buyout of $30,543 based on a residual of 54%, lease-to-own costs $2799 less than paying cash up front for this five-passenger, all-wheel-drive SUV that rockets from zero to sixty in 4.2 seconds, travels 226 on a full charge, and carries 15 cubic feet of cargo with all seats in place. Costco members can save even more by taking advantage of the current member-only $1000 incentive on the purchase or lease of a new Volvo.

over the air updates

We found a number of Volvo retailers with discounts or improved lease offers on the C40 Recharge. Look for a dealer with an in-stock 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge near you.

6. 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron Premier

Cash: $80,058; Lease-to-own: $77,809. Lease-to-own savings: $2,249

Looking for a luxury-branded all-wheel-drive five-passenger electric SUV that can squeeze close to 300 miles out of a full charge? The Audi Q8 e-tron comes close at 285 miles, which is at least 50 miles farther than the other luxury-branded vehicles mentioned so far in this article. But that longer security blanket comes at a cost, as the total outlay to own the Audi at lease termination is over $18,000 more expensive than the Lexus RZ450e, Mercedes-Benz EQB300 4MATIC, or Volvo C40 Recharge. To be fair, the Q8 e-tron is larger – built to punch in a heavier weight class that includes the Mercedes EQE, BMW iX, and Tesla Model X – so its higher price (MSRP $78,035) should be expected.

Audi’s current lease offer of $599/month for 36 months, $6493 due at signing, and the option to purchase for $42,919 at lease end currently adds up an attractive lease-to-own deal that costs $2249 less than an all-cash transaction at a 9% tax rate.

Curiously, we haven’t seen many dealer-advertised discounts or improved lease offers on the Q8 e-tron since late summer despite a decent amount of available inventory, but car shopping websites like Cars.com and TrueCar seem to indicate that dealer discounts of $4000 or more are out there in some areas. Check for Audi Q8 e-tron discounts in your area.

… and the rest

The rest of the sub-$80K EV lease offers we evaluated for the lease-to-own scenario worked out to be more expensive than an all-cash transaction. However, most resulted in costing significantly less than financing, assuming a 72-month loan at 6% APR, or if available, at the lowest manufacturer promo rate. So savvy consumers that prefer to put cash to to work elsewhere rather than tie it all up in an expensive depreciating asset should seriously consider leasing over financing if one of these 2023 electrics are in the crosshairs: Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4MATIC SUV ($8687 lease-to-own savings over financing), BMW i4 eDrive35 ($5,373 savings), Audi Q4 e-tron 40 Premium Plus ($5307 savings), Kia EV6 Wind AWD ($4611 savings), Nissan Ariya Engage FWD ($3544 savings), Hyundai Ioniq 6 SEL RWD ($3025 savings), Volvo XC40 Recharge Core ($2600 savings), Kia Niro EV Wind ($935 savings).

Interested in the Hyundai Ioniq 5? If you want to own it, buy it. We crunched the numbers on the on the 36-month Ioniq 5 SEL RWD lease, and with a lease-to-own cost of $54,801, it would take $3465 more to possess after three years compared to taking out a 72-month loan at 6% with $5647 down. The Ioniq 5 lease suffers from a high money factor that translates to 7.7% APR, a relatively high 61% residual, and a $7500 lease incentive that is no better than the rebate on a purchase.

Want a VW ID.4? Well, those seeking ownership that qualify for the full Federal EV tax rebate should be better off buying rather than leasing. For those that don’t qualify, it’s a wash, which is roughly the same story for the Ford Mustang Mach-E. As for the Ford F-150 Lightning, just buy it if you’re playing for keeps because the lease-to-own method on a 36-month lease, particularly on a Lariat that qualifies for a $7500 retail incentive on a purchase as well as the $7500 Federal EV tax rebate, could cost over $10,000 more than financing it.

How about a Model 3 or Model Y? Both have very compelling 36-month lease terms, but only for those that want to ditch the car after three years. Sadly, there is no option to buy out a recent Tesla lease.

As always, check our Electric Vehicle Best Price Guide and Best Electric Vehicle Lease Guide for the best deals on EVs in the US.

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Hyundai’s updated IONIQ 6 flashes a stylish new design ahead of its big debut [Video]

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2 hours ago

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November 27, 2024

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Hyundai's updated IONIQ 6 flashes a stylish new design ahead of its big debut [Video]

With its big debut around the corner, Hyundai’s updated IONIQ 6 was just spotted with a sleek new design. The already stylish EV is about to get even better. Here’s a look at the refreshed model.

Hyundai’s updated IONIQ 6 spotted ahead of its debut

Launched in 2022, the IONIQ 6 is Hyundai’s second dedicated EV, following the popular IONIQ 5. Based on its advanced E-GMP platform, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 is already one of the most efficient EVs on the market, with up to 342 miles of driving range.

It’s also one of the most affordable, starting under $38,000. Meanwhile, Hyundai is preparing to launch an updated model with more range, features, and improved style. It may even include a Tesla NACS port.

In July, we got our first look at the updated IONIQ 6 as early prototypes hit the streets for testing. Since then, it has been spotted out in the wild several times with heavy camouflage.

The latest sighting gives us our best look yet as the new model begins to shed its camo. One of the most noticeable upgrades is to the front end.

Hyundai's-updated-IONIQ-6
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai fine-tuned the front bumper and headlights, adding to its already bold design. It also appears to have new sensors up front, suggesting new ADAS features could be coming.

From the new video from CarShorts, you can see the car’s overall shape looks about the same as the current model, but slight improvements are expected to improve the profile. To match the upgrades up front, the new IONIQ 6 will likely see a redesigned rear bumper and tail lights.

Hyundai’s upgraded IONIQ 6 spotted with a new design (Source: CarShorts)

Hyundai’s updated IONIQ 6 is also due for an “N” upgrade. The IONIQ 6 N has also been spotted testing with notable differences from the standard model, including a massive rear wing (see the images here).

Like the new 2025 IONIQ 5, Hyundai’s updated IONIQ 6 is expected to feature a bigger (84 kWh) battery, providing slightly more range.

Hyundai's upgraded-IONIQ-6
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 (Source: Hyundai)

The 2025 IONIQ 5 has a range of up to 318 miles, up from 303 in the previous model. With a driving range of up to 342 miles already, the upgraded IONIQ 6 could see upwards of 350 miles.

As a first, Hyundai’s new IONIQ 5 also includes an NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers. The newly introduced three-row IONIQ 9 also has a native Tesla NACS port, suggesting the upgraded IONIQ 6 will likely follow suit.

Despite the upgrades, Hyundai is expected to keep starting prices flat at around $38,000, similar to the IONIQ 5 pricing.

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MOD City+ 3 Folding e-bikes at $1,799 Black Friday low, Segway Cube power stations $800 off, Rachio smart controllers, more

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November 27, 2024

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MOD City+ 3 Folding e-bikes at ,799 Black Friday low, Segway Cube power stations 0 off, Rachio smart controllers, more

Today’s Green Deals are shining a spotlight back to MOD Bikes’ Black Friday sale to highlight the City+ 3 Folding e-bike and the City+ Step-Thru 3 Folding e-bike which are both down at new $1,799 lows, among the low prices across the other models. We also spotted Segway’s Cube series of portable power stations hitting new lows starting from $600, while Rachio’s smart hose timer and sprinkler controller packages start from $78. Bringing up the rear is a collection of electric tools from multiple brands that are benefitting from up to 70% off discounts during Walmart’s Black Friday sale – all starting from $68. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Black Friday sale changeups from EcoFlow, Segway, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Anker SOLIX C300 power station

Featured deal: With more than 130 years in the bicycle business, Huffy is well-known across the market, especially for its large lineup of kid-friendly models. For Black Friday, the brand is providing some exclusive savings on its iconic Electric Green Machine Trike at $419, after using the promo code ELECTREKGM at checkout for 30% off. Ideal for riders aged 8+ and falling under the 180-pound max weight, it gives kids the chance to experience 15 MPH top speeds thanks to its 250W front hub motor alongside the 36V battery. This model will also grow with your child, as its seat provides three different adjustable settings to keep them safe while they tear up the pavement with plenty of spins and drifts.

Anker SOLIX C300 power station

Featured deal: Buzz Bicycles is bringing readers an exclusive promotion this Black Friday to save $400 on its Centris class 2 folding e-bike that drops costs to the best price of the year on top of including a free accessory – all for $799, after using the promo code ELECTREK200 at checkout. Featuring a step-thru and folding frame, you’ll enjoy cruising through the streets at 20 MPH top speeds for up to 40 miles, making it a great entry-level model for new riders as well as veteran riders seeking a more affordable option. There are two colorways here to choose from, and plenty of solid features like the 4-inch fat tires, front suspension, front and rear lighting – and even front and rear cargo racks too. Adding an electric solution to your commuter needs doesn’t have to break the bank with this deal.

City+ 3 Folding e-bike

MOD’s City+ 3 folding e-bikes give you all-around support on your commutes and joyrides at $1,799 low

Looking back in on MOD’s ongoing Black Friday sale that will continue through December 1, you’ll find the brand’s City+ 3 Folding e-bike down amongst the lowest prices across the lineup for $1,799 shipped, with the City+ Step-Thru Folding e-bike also matching in price for $1,799 shipped. As was the case with all the models under MOD’s flag, these e-bikes’ price tags began the sale by getting a permanent price cut to new $1,999 MSRPs (with the other models seeing up to $1,100 in price cuts), on top of the additional $200 sales discount while the savings last. Before this sale, we only ever saw them fall to $1,999 at the lowest, with that rate now taking over as the starting price and this sale’s markdown giving you a new all-time low going forward.

MOD’s City+ 3 High-Step and Step-Thru folding e-bikes arrive on the scene sporting the brand’s folding frame design, which is perfect for folks in need of some space-saving functionality for their commuting solution. The 750W geared hub motor works with the removable Samsung Li-ion 48V 15Ah/720Wh battery to deliver you where you need to be at top speeds of 28 MPH for up to 50 miles on a single charge with five levels of PAS supported by a superior torque sensor. On top of these, your riding experience will be further bolstered by features like the 300-lumen LED headlight, the integrated LED taillight with brake lighting, hydraulic brakes, multi-terrain Kenda K-Shield tires, a Shimano ALTUS 7-speed derailleur, full cover anti-vibration fenders, a multi-purpose Snap-On rear rack with a 65-pound payload, faux leather grips/saddle, and a S3 Smart Color Display with a USB port to charge your devices as you ride.

More of MOD’s Black Friday deals:

Featured deal: Mokwheel Bikes is offering up to $900 in savings across its e-bike lineup this Black Friday, with free gear coming along with select purchases too. You can buy any two ebikes and get a FREE accessory or FREE Gift Package ($499.99~$699). The biggest of these deals comes in on the brand’s latest models, the Obsidian and Obsidian ST Power Station e-bikes at $2,099, down from $2,999, with a choice between three different gifts, all worth $599. Coming with either the standard high-step or step-thru fames, what makes these newer models stand out is their built-in power station capabilities when you choose to receive the 1,000W inverter as your free gift, providing on-the-go juice for your devices using the bike’s 940W battery (on top of solar charging functionality too)

City+ 3 Folding e-bike

Score up to $800 in savings on Segway’s Cube LiFePO4 portable power stations with new lows starting from $600

As part of its Black Friday sale, Amazon is offering the Segway Cube 2000 Portable Power Station for $899.99 shipped. Normally sitting at a full $1,700 price tag, we’ve seen only a handful of discounts on this model over 2024, with July’s Prime Day event bringing the biggest of them – dropping costs to the former $999 low. It’s been keeping more towards its full price in the months since, usually only falling to $1,200. Today, thanks to the savings season, we’re now seeing a bigger-than-ever 47% markdown that saves you $800 and carves out a new all-time low price. You won’t find this model at Segway’s Black Friday sale right now either, as its completely out of stock, making this the best opportunity to score it at the lowest rate we have tracked.

Segway’s Cube 2000 provides you with a 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity that you can expand up to 5,038Wh with the purchase of three BTX-1000 expansion batteries (now 29% off at $498). There are 122 output ports here to charge up your devices and appliances – with a steady output power up to 2,200W and peaking at 4,400W. You can refill the station’s battery in about 1.8 hours when plugged into a wall outlet or you can take advantage of its 800W maximum solar input for solar recharging. You’ll also get the full detail of remote smart controls through the Segway-Ninebot app via a Bluetooth connection.

There’s also the smaller Segway Cube 1000 Portable Power Station that is down at its second-lowest $599.99 shipped rate, normally $1,000 at full price. This model provides you with a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 capacity that you can also expand up to 5,120Wh with four of the previously mentioned expansion batteries. It pumps out the same output power as its larger counterpart through the same 12 port options. Recharging here is a little faster at 1.2 hours via a wall outlet, with the same 800W max solar input available to take advantage of too – complete with smart controls.

More Segway Amazon Black Friday deals:

Rachio smart hose timer

Rachio’s smart hose timer and sprinkler controllers keep a watch over your yard’s water needs starting from $78

While its Black Friday savings event continues, Amazon offers the Rachio Smart Hose Timer with Wi-Fi Hub for $78.39 shipped. Normally running you $100 at full price, this device has largely been up and down in price since summer, with most discounts falling between $99 and $79, while also occasionally dipping lower, like the drop to the $69 low that we last saw during October’s Prime Day event. Today, thanks to the Thanksgiving savings season, you’re looking at a 22% markdown that shaves $22 off the going rate, landing the costs down at the third-lowest price we have tracked – just $9 above October’s low rate. If you already have a Wi-Fi hub and are looking to add more smart hose timers to it, you’ll find them at a discounted rate of $59, down from $70.

This packaged pair of devices from Rachio syncs together to deliver smart home controls over your outdoor water supply coming from your spigots. With the Rachio app on your smartphone, you’ll gain monitoring capabilities over flow rates while also being able to set them to schedules – plus, the devices will send you alerts whenever anything goes awry. The smart hose timer, especially, provides a bonus in its weather-watching feature that uses Wi-Fi to keep track of forecasts to skip scheduled watering before or after expected rain/storms, saving you money while also keeping your lawn from being drowned by accident. You can also pair up to four of these timers to one Wi-Fi hub for maximum coverage.

Rachio Black Friday smart controller deals:

walmart BF sale on Greenworks, Worx, Sun Joe, Snow Joe tools and more

Walmart’s Black Friday sale is well underway and continuing through December 1, with up to 70% discounts on electric tools, lawn care equipment, and snow-clearing solutions – both new and restored models – and with plenty of additional rollback and clearance price cuts running parallel. Coming in alongside similar sales from Amazon, we’re seeing some of the best and lowest prices of the year across a bunch of popular brands, including Greenworks, Worx, Sun Joe, Snow Joe, and more – with these massive savings offering the perfect opportunities to update and upgrade your tool arsenal for all seasons. Head below to check out the selection of these deals while they last – most of which are online only deals, so why wait until November 29, when many will likely be sold out and gone?

Walmart Black Friday Greenworks deals:

Walmart Black Friday Worx deals:

Walmart Black Friday Sun Joe/Snow Joe deals:

  • Restored Snow Joe 24V IONMAX Cordless Snow Shovel Bundle: $79 (Reg. $195)
    • comes with 4.0Ah battery, charger, cover, and ice scraper glove
  • Refurbished 12A 14-inch Lawn Mower: $89 (Reg. $100)
  • 13-Amp Corded Electric Leaf Mulcher & Shredder: $115 (Reg. $159)
  • 24V Cordless 13-inch Snow Shovel with 4.0Ah battery: $124 (Reg. $199)
  • 24V Cordless 15-inch Push Reel Lawn Mower with 4.0Ah battery: $180 (Reg. $249)
  • 48V 18-inch Single-Stage Cordless Snow Blower with two 4.0Ah batteries: $239 (Reg. $399)
  • Restored Snow Joe 24V 24-inch Cordless Dual Stage Self-Propelled Snow Blower: $799 (Reg. $1,299)
    • comes with four 24V 12Ah Batteries
  • And much more…

You can check out all the Black Friday deals Walmart has to offer on tools and equipment on the landing page here (with clearance and rollback deals on the same landing page, down below). 

Best Black Friday e-bike deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Tesla adds longer cables and more to Superchargers as non-Tesla EVs complicate things

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3 hours ago

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November 27, 2024

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Tesla adds longer cables and more to Superchargers as non-Tesla EVs complicate things

Volvo Tesla Supercharger
Photo: Volvo Car USA

Tesla has made several changes to its Supercharger network, including adding longer cables, to make the experience smoother as more non-Tesla EVs join the network and complicate things.

In North America, Tesla has been opening up the Supercharger network to electric vehicles from other automakers for the better part of the year.

Things have been moving slowly, and there are a few reasons for that.

First off, Elon Musk fired Tesla’s entire charging team earlier this year, and the company had to rebuild it, including hiring back some employees. That has slowed things down.

But Tesla also has to take things a bit slower because non-Tesla EVs using the Supercharger network complicate things.

We previously reported that the fact many charge ports are located at different locations on the vehicles than on Tesla vehicles, which are already on the back of the driver’s side.

It forces those EV drivers to park in a way that blocks another charging stall when plugging in at a Supercharger.

Longer cables at Supercharger stations are expected to fix that, but Tesla has been slow to deploy its new V4 stations, which are equipped with much longer cables.

Tesla has now released an update on the situation and how it is addressing the situation:

  • Making stall availability more accurate than ever – The latest Tesla software update improves the accuracy of stall availability estimates. We can detect when another EV, with a charge port located somewhere other than the rear left or front right, is plugged into a short-cable Supercharger stall. This update ensures no more overpromising of stall availability, so you can travel with confidence. We will continuously refine this algorithm to be as accurate as possible, including exact site mapping and faster refreshing of stall availability.
  • Increasing number of long cables – Longer cables mean that V4 posts can serve all port locations. In the next 18 months we will have more long cable than short cable Superchargers.
  • Modifying our sites to avoid blocked spaces – We have modified over 1,500 sites so that drivers never have to use more than 2 charging spaces to charge, increasing stall availability for all.
  • Encouraging the best charge port locations – Since opening up the Supercharger network in Europe in 2021, we’ve encouraged car manufacturers to transition charge port locations to rear left or front right. This provides seamless compatibility with 30k+ short-cable Superchargers available to other EVs globally.

These are all great updates.

It is frustrating to see on Tesla’s navigation that there are stalls available at the Supercharger station you are going to just to find out that the information is not accurate. In some cases, that can be because there’s indeed a stall where no one is plugged in, but you can’t park there because a non-Tesla EV is blocking it, which is OK as per Tesla’s integration of non-Tesla EVs.

It looks like now Tesla is using the data it gets when a non-Tesla EV plugs into a Supercharger to figure out whether it must be blocking the next stall. If that’s the case, that Supercharger will be marked as non-available.

It probably should have been done from the start, but I’m happy to see it happening now.

Tesla has also disclosed that it is designing and redesigning stations so that it wouldn’t happen in the first place.

With Supercharger V4 having longer cables, Tesla now expects to have more longer than shorter cables within the next year and a half.

Finally, Tesla also says that it has been encouraging other automakers to place their charge port at the location.

Electrek’s Take

I hope the latter point proves successful because I think it’s a no-brainer. The charge port should be at the back of the driver’s side.

Some automakers have also been using dual ports, most often with only one DC fast-charging one, on the driver’s side, and another level 2 charge port on the right side, which makes sense, especially for street charging in cities.

Great updates from Tesla Charging.

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