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Tesla, which hosts 50,000+ supercharging stations for electric vehicles globally, is rolling out a new congestion fee system that the company hopes will free up charging traffic at its stations.

Unlike idle fees, which will bill drivers on a per-minute basis when a car remains stationed at a charging point after it has already been fully recharged, congestion fees are intended to prevent people from fully charging their vehicle at the busiest stations. The congestion fee will only kick in when charging stations are busy and a vehicle’s battery is over 90 percent. Drivers will be able to see where congestion fees apply on their vehicle’s touchscreen, and there will be a five-minute grace period to avoid petty fees if someone is only a couple of minutes late to their vehicle. The new scheme will apply to certain stations through the US, with the cost set at $1 per minute. Tesla has not revaled pricing or a rollout strategy for outside of the US. 

Tesla has previously explained idle fees by stating that a car driver would “never leave a vehicle parked by the pump at a gas station” and that the same logic should apply to Superchargers. EVs typically charge extremely quickly up to around 80-90 percent, after which the charging rate slows significantly. The aim of the congestion fee is to shorten the length of charging sessions when stations are at their busiest, to allow more users to have a chance to charge.

As more automakers adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) used by Tesla’s Superchargers, more EV drivers are gaining access to high-speed charging networks. And while the availability of charging stations is a crucial factor for increasing EV adoption among drivers in the US, Tesla has said that congestion is an issue the company has kept its eye on. The new fee system could help clear up the influx of new EV drivers that are charging at Tesla Supercharging stations as more mainstream electric cars are adopted by the public, while the fees will contribute to the company’s bottom line. Analysts estimate that the Tesla Supercharger network will become worth between $10 and $20 billion annually by the end of the decade.

Correction 6:40PM ET: This article as originally published conflated the launch of idle fees and congestion fees. We regret the error.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/teslas-idle-fees-will-charge-drivers-who-keep-their-cars-plugged-in-after-theyve-topped-up-230601570.html?src=rss

Tesla, which hosts 50,000+ supercharging stations for electric vehicles globally, is rolling out a new congestion fee system that the company hopes will free up charging traffic at its stations.

Unlike idle fees, which will bill drivers on a per-minute basis when a car remains stationed at a charging point after it has already been fully recharged, congestion fees are intended to prevent people from fully charging their vehicle at the busiest stations. The congestion fee will only kick in when charging stations are busy and a vehicle’s battery is over 90 percent. Drivers will be able to see where congestion fees apply on their vehicle’s touchscreen, and there will be a five-minute grace period to avoid petty fees if someone is only a couple of minutes late to their vehicle. The new scheme will apply to certain stations through the US, with the cost set at $1 per minute. Tesla has not revaled pricing or a rollout strategy for outside of the US. 

Tesla has previously explained idle fees by stating that a car driver would “never leave a vehicle parked by the pump at a gas station” and that the same logic should apply to Superchargers. EVs typically charge extremely quickly up to around 80-90 percent, after which the charging rate slows significantly. The aim of the congestion fee is to shorten the length of charging sessions when stations are at their busiest, to allow more users to have a chance to charge.

As more automakers adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) used by Tesla’s Superchargers, more EV drivers are gaining access to high-speed charging networks. And while the availability of charging stations is a crucial factor for increasing EV adoption among drivers in the US, Tesla has said that congestion is an issue the company has kept its eye on. The new fee system could help clear up the influx of new EV drivers that are charging at Tesla Supercharging stations as more mainstream electric cars are adopted by the public, while the fees will contribute to the company’s bottom line. Analysts estimate that the Tesla Supercharger network will become worth between $10 and $20 billion annually by the end of the decade.

Correction 6:40PM ET: This article as originally published conflated the launch of idle fees and congestion fees. We regret the error.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/teslas-idle-fees-will-charge-drivers-who-keep-their-cars-plugged-in-after-theyve-topped-up-230601570.html?src=rss

The Polish author behind The Witcher series is well known for his unflinching honesty about the legacy his work now has—especially in a world where Netflix has transformed that work into a streaming sensation. But how does he feel now the streamer is spinning out its Witcher world? Let’s just say, it moved him.

Read more…

The Supreme Court has rejected former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin’s appeal of his conviction for second-degree murder in the killing of George Floyd.

Amazon’s Black Friday deals have dropped the Kobo Clara 2E ereader to a record-low price. This model is Engadget’s top pick for the best ereader in 2023, with its terrific design, intuitive navigation and seamless library book borrowing. Typically $140, the Clara 2E is only $120 right now on Amazon and Kobo.

After spending countless hours trying eight models from five different brands, Engadget chose the Kobo Clara 2E as the top ereader for most people. Despite being pricier than the baseline Kindles, Engadget’s Amy Skorheim loved the Kobo’s intuitive design, IPX8 water resistance (it can handle submersion in two meters of water for 60 minutes), warm light and lack of ads.

The device has a 6-inch touchscreen with “ComfortLight Pro,” Kobo’s branding for adjustable brightness and warmth. It has 16GB of storage, enough for around 12,000 ebooks, and its battery life lasts for “weeks.” It has a pleasant onboarding experience, walking you through account setup and asking about your favorite books to help improve its algorithmic recommendations. It even nudges you toward its library lending feature (through Overdrive integration), a rare example of a company notifying you of free alternatives to its digital wares. We found the borrowing process to be seamless.

Most importantly, the Kobo Clara 2E provides a top-notch reading experience. The device is light (only six ounces) and has a textured back that makes longer reading sessions more comfortable. We found the quality of its front light to make it the most paper-like of any ereader we tried, and adjusting brightness is as easy as swiping your finger down the screen’s left edge. It was also the most responsive to touch of any ereader we tested. It even has a quick wake-up feature that, after pushing its button, immediately jumps to the page you were last reading without any swiping past ads or extra taps.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-kobo-clara-2e-ereader-drops-to-a-record-low-price-for-black-friday-221518316.html?src=rss