At this point in time, most people (even non-Tesla enthusiasts or Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) drivers) have heard of Tesla Supercharging, or seen the Tesla Supercharging stations at local Targets, and other stores.

But what many people don’t know—even some Tesla owners, is that there are certain vehicles (usually an older Model S) that have Free Unlimited Supercharging capability, that stays with the car when you sell it.

We’ve written extensively about whether or not Free Unlimited Supercharging transfers with the car, and even how to tell if you have it.

But today, we’re going to talk about something different—and that’s the value. What is Free Supercharging worth on a used Tesla? And how should you price your Tesla if you happen to have it? Let’s dive in!

Types of Free Unlimited Supercharging—A Brief Overview Before We Talk Value

While we do cover this in another post about checking if you have Free Unlimited Supercharging on your Tesla, it’s worth briefly reiterating here.

Basically, the three main types of supercharging are (with Tesla’s internal codes for reference):

  • SC01: Free Unlimited Supercharging (this is the one that is truly unlimited and stays with the car)
  • SC04: Free Unlimited Supercharging (tied to the first owner of the vehicle, NOT the vehicle itself)
  • SC06: Free Unlimited Supercharging (time-limited; these are promos that Tesla does, like 3 months free when you buy a new Tesla, etc.)

In this case, code SC01 is the “Mac Daddy” of Free Unlimited Supercharging, and it’s the only type that matters in terms of resale value.

Tesla stopped offering this a long time ago, and generally speaking, it’s only seen as on early and pre-2017 Teslas, typically Model S, such as P85Ds, etc.

Occasionally, you’ll find it on “unicorn” Model S vehicles which are late 2016, early 2017 models that actually have FSD-capable Autopilot hardware. However, most of the time, it’s only older Model S vehicles that have Highway Autopilot, and aren’t FSD-capable.

As time goes on, and as Tesla pushes for more and more autonomy, these older cars become less desirable, which really tempers the value of truly Free (SC01) Unlimited Supercharging for a variety of reasons (more on this below).

How Much Does Supercharging Cost Nowadays?

Generally speaking, Supercharging costs about half the price of a tank of gas in an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle (but this really depends on what type of vehicle). In the Midwest where trucks are popular, it might be less, but if you’re looking at an economy car, it might be more.

And when we’re considering the “value” of truly free Supercharging, we need to look at everything that helps create that value, and one of those metrics is weighing that against the cost of operating a gas vehicle.

With some basic assumptions, the cost of operating a gas vehicle for 12,000 miles vs. Supercharging, vs. charging at home looks like this:

Gas vehicle cost:

  • 25 MPG
  • $3.50/gallon
  • Cost per mile: $0.14
  • 12,000 miles = $1,680

Supercharging cost:

  • $0.35 per kWh
  • 3428 kWh required for 12,000 miles in a Model S
  • 12,000 miles = $1,200

Home charging cost:

  • $0.12 per kWh
  • 3428 kWh required for 12,000 miles in a Model S
  • 12,000 miles = $411

So, as you can see, Supercharging, even all the time (with zero at home charging) is cheaper than buying gas, but not nearly as cheap as charging at home.

And nowadays, most people have home chargers, or at least access to a level 2 charger at work or in an apartment complex, etc.

OK, So What Is Free Unlimited Supercharging Worth on My Used Tesla?

This is the big question—what is Free Unlimited Supercharging worth on a used Tesla? The answer is about $1,000 – $2,000.

Why isn’t it worth $5k more? Or an even bigger number? Well, there are a few reasons for that.

First of all, as mentioned above, Tesla is making a big push toward autonomy, and this is really devaluing old Teslas. This is going to be even more pronounced when the Cybercab launches to the public, among other things. And these older Teslas are just becoming less and less appealing to buyers (with their old tech, louder cabins, and shorter range), so the fact that they do happen to have Free Supercharging just doesn’t matter as much anymore as it did in the past.

Older Teslas are also mostly out of warranty (often times on the battery and drive unit as well) so this means that the perk of Free Supercharging just doesn’t offset the potential maintenance cost like it used to.

Beyond that, more and more people are charging at home, some Supercharging stations are increasingly crowded (although Tesla has added queueing recently). And in general, it’s just more of a hassle to sit at the Supercharging station vs. charging at home (especially during peak hours when the Supercharging stations are busy).

So, it’s really a specific type of buyer who will really see value in transferable Free Unlimited Supercharging. This person either doesn’t have charging at home or does a lot of driving, and for them, there’s value there. Given though that most people drive less than 30 miles per day, the value just isn’t there for the majority of used Tesla buyers. It’s more of a “nice to have” but not a necessity or a massive value add.

Where Can I Buy (Or Sell) a Used Tesla with Free Supercharging?

You already know the answer to that—it’s right here, on Find My Electric!

Whether you’re a seller who wants exposure to a pool buyers who value Free Supercharging, or you’re a buyer looking specifically for that on a used Tesla—we’ve got you covered!

In fact, we’re the only marketplace (EV or otherwise) where you can search for features like Free Supercharging, and not have to wonder whether every car has it or not, endlessly opening listings and trying to figure that out by squinting at pictures and messaging every seller.

If you’re a seller, create an account for free and get started building your listing today! You’re only minutes away from exposure to the biggest pool of used Tesla buyers on the Internet—only on Find My Electric, The Ultimate EV Marketplace!