Tesla to end free use of supercharging stations

Electric car maker Tesla Motors says it will end free use of its worldwide charging station network.

The company says cars ordered after Jan. 1, 2017 will get roughly 1,000 miles worth of credits at the supercharging stations. After credits are used, owners will have to pay fees. Cars ordered or sold on or before Jan. 1 would still get free charging.

Tesla didn't specify the fees but says charging would cost less than the price of filling a comparable gasoline car. The company says it will release fee details later this year. It says prices could fluctuate over time and vary by regional electricity costs.

This means that free charging won't apply to the $35,000 Model 3, which is due to enter production in the second half of 2017.