Tesla drivers in California have two weeks to file a claim in a class action settlement that could grant them up to $350 in cash.
The class action lawsuit alleges that Tesla unfairly charged “idle fees” to people who had purchased vehicles with free lifetime Supercharging. An idle fee is something Tesla levies when one of its electric vehicles is left plugged in at a busy Supercharger station after it has been fully charged.
The lawsuit also claims that when people refused to pay these “idle fees,” Tesla disabled or threatened to disabled those drivers’ access to Superchargers.
Tesla has denied any wrongdoing, but has agreed to pay affected drivers directly to settle the case.
California residents are eligible to file a claim in the settlement if they:
- Got a Tesla before Dec. 16, 2016
- Still owned the vehicle as of Dec. 16, 2016
- Purchased a Tesla that was described in the purchase agreement as “Supercharger Enabled,” “Supercharger Hardware” or “Supercharger Hardware & Access
How big of a payment you’re eligible for depends on your specific situation.
First and foremost, Tesla has agreed to refund all “idle fees” for eligible Tesla owners. The company’s records will be used to determine the size of the refund.
If your Tesla’s Supercharger access was disabled because of unpaid “idle fees,” you’ll also get a $50 cash payment if your car was blocked for less than 30 days. The cash payment goes up to $350 if it was disabled for longer than 30 days.
If you still have an eligible Tesla you purchased before December 2016, the company has also agreed it will restore Supercharger access and waive any unpaid “idle fees.” If you no longer own the affected vehicle, you can still file for a smaller $10 payment.
The deadline to file a claim is Sept. 25. A claim can be filed online here or by mail.
A final approval hearing in the case is set for Dec. 2 in Oakland. Payments won’t be issued until the settlement gets final approval from a judge and any potential appeals or objections are resolved.