On Saturday morning, Tesla announced via Twitter that they’re officially bringing back free unlimited supercharging for all new Model S and Model X purchases—and this is a fairly significant announcement for a variety of reasons.

First, it’s something that seemed to be gone forever, especially in light of Elon’s relatively recent comments about the sustainability free supercharging over the long-term. In a Twitter reply to a potential owner asking about Model 3 Performance supercharging being included for free, Elon said “Will see what we can do. Really need to bring this program to an end while being as fair as possible. It’s not sustainable in the long-term.”

If you look back to when the prices of Model S and X were markedly higher, offering free supercharging wasn’t as big of a deal because the cost calculation (while still an overall loss for Tesla) was essentially built into the price of the car; early adopters (plus government incentives) really paved the way for building out the supercharger network.

Now what the prices of all Tesla cars have dropped somewhat significantly, and the government subsidies are almost gone, it costs Tesla a lot more to offer free unlimited supercharging. And unfortunately, now that the price of the Model 3 Performance has also dropped significantly, it wasn’t included in the recent free supercharging promotion.

What the Return of Free Unlimited Supercharging Means for New Tesla Buyers

Another reason that the return of free unlimited supercharging is so important is because it really helps justify the cost of a Tesla to people who drive/travel a lot.

Sure, if you live in a state where electricity isn’t super expensive ($0.10-0.12/kWh), it’s going to cost you (roughly speaking) less than $40/month in electricity to drive 1500 miles in a LR AWD Model 3, for example. This is approximately an order of magnitude (Elon speak FTW) cheaper than a gas vehicle as many moderately efficient ICE cars would cost $400 or so per month to drive the same distance (depending upon the cost of gasoline in your state of course).

You might be thinking “Sure, but how does that relate to supercharging? You’re talking about charging at home.” Yes, for reference—but if you travel a lot of those miles for work or leisure, you’re going to have to supercharge. And contrary to what people think, the cost of supercharging isn’t super cheap. Sure, it’s decently less than gasoline (about 50% of the price) but it’s still way more expensive than charging at home. Not to mention there are now idle fees that superchargers didn’t have a year or two ago.

When you’re talking about travelling or road-tripping, the cost of supercharging can really add up. And again, it’s still less than the cost of gas, but if you can get it for free, why not?!

Buying Used Is Still a Great Way to Get Free Supercharging

Given the still-relatively-high price of a new Model S or X, you’re probably not too concerned about occasional supercharging fees if you’re considering ordering a new Tesla.

That said, if you are looking at used Teslas, there’s some really good news that not everyone is aware of—free unlimited supercharging stays with the vehicle, even if it’s re-sold. This means if you buy a used model S, X, (or even possibly a Model 3 Performance), there’s a good chance that the vehicle you’re buying already has free unlimited supercharging, so Merry Christmas to you! You can thank the original owner who paid the “early adopter” price for that luxury, and thankfully it’s passed on to all future owners of the car completely gratis.

So, if you’re looking for a way to save money on a Tesla AND get free unlimited supercharging, consider buying a used Tesla! And, of course, there’s no better place to look for a used Tesla than Find My Electric!