Tesla is making various improvements to its third-gen Wall Connector
@ChrisTesla/Twitter
Tesla operates two charging networks; the Supercharger and the Destination Charger. The Supercharger network consists of direct current, fast-charging stations for long-distance driving.
The Destination Charger network consists of slower-speed chargers, specifically the Tesla Wall Connector, installed at restaurants and hotels for Tesla owners to charge at their destination.
Destination Charging has typically been free up until now. Tesla announced that they are enabling paid charging at Destination Chargers. In order to set pricing at a Destination Charger location, restaurants and hotels will need at least six Tesla Wall Connectors.
In 2020, Tesla upgraded Destination Chargers with third-generation Wall Connectors, and the EV automaker told property managers that it would enable paid charging with this new generation charger.
Tesla’s Destination Charging locations have usually been complimentary. In most cases, the only requirement was that the Tesla owner was also a customer of the business.
The chargers would help bring more customers to the business, who would cover the cost of electricity from the Destination Chargers.
A great example of Destination Chargers that increase business is hotels. A Tesla owner may be more likely to choose a hotel with Destination Chargers if it means they could easily charge when needed while on vacation.
With the new 3rd generation Wi-Fi-connected Wall Connector, Tesla is enabling businesses to set their own price for charging. However, a business must have at least six Wall Connectors to activate the feature:
Tesla Commercial Services can be enabled on Gen3 Tesla Wall Connectors that are connected to either Wi-Fi or Cellular and have a signed Services Agreement with Tesla. A minimum of six units are required to be installed to be considered forthis service.
This excludes many Destination Chargers since most locations only have two to four Tesla Wall Connectors.
This upgrade will also encourage some property managers to add more chargers since they can charge customers for the service and cover their electricity costs.
Tesla Owners
Tesla Wall Connectors can add about 44 miles of range per hour of charging. In some circumstances, this is a better solution than a Supercharger, which has idling fees after your vehicle is done charging.
Property Managers
Now that property managers can charge for the service, they can cover the cost of deploying the chargers and the cost of electricity while also attracting Tesla owners to their businesses or apartment complex.
Apartment Complexes
If you live in an apartment complex and haven't bought an EV because of limited access to charging, this could be a turning point.
Up until now, many apartment complex managers have been hesitant to add EV chargers due to the added cost. However, now they'll be able to pass on any costs to their residents, adding value to their apartment complex without accruing any charges.
Destination Chargers can be used by Teslas and any other EV with an adapter.
It'll be interesting to see whether Tesla opens up this feature further by removing the six Destination Charger requirement. That would allow almost anyone to charge for the use of their Wall Connector.
Tesla will soon retrofit some of their Superchargers with a CCS plug, allowing non-Tesla vehicles to charge without the use of an adapter. It's possible that the same feature may also arrive for the Wall Connector in the future.
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Tesla has added payment plan options to its shop items for the first time. They’ve partnered with Klarna, a deferred payment provider, to spread the cost of items across multiple payments. For now, this appears to be limited to the Tesla Shop in the United States—no support for other regions quite yet.
Payment Options
Klarna’s primary payment option allows buyers to get 0% APR for 6 weeks, with 4 payments. The payment schedule is essentially one payment every two weeks for whichever product you buy - enabling you to buy now, and pay later with 0% financing.
For example, the payment schedule for the $420 Wall Connector is evenly divided into four portions. Of course, you’d also have to pay for shipping and taxes, both of which will be included in your first payment.
Payment 1
Payment 2
Payment 3
Payment 4
Amount
$105
$105
$105
$105
Payment Due
Day of Purchase
Week 2
Week 4
Week 6
For some of Tesla’s more expensive Shop options - like the Cybertent, this could be a fantastic means for some owners to pick up something more expensive without having to worry about interest charges on their credit card.
Klarna also offers some other payment schedules, which do have interest. While these are far more expensive and are more like credit cards, they still provide buyers a means to buy now and pay over time. These are all open loans as well, so you can pay them down at a faster rate, thereby reducing the overall interest.
Payment Schedule
Payment Rate
Interest Rate
6 Months
Monthly
7.99% to 33.99%
12 Months
Monthly
7.99% to 33.99%
FSD Payment Options?
We’d love to see an equivalent payment option available for Tesla’s FSD purchase, which is currently $8,000, even if it's bought after the vehicle purchase. The high upfront cost is likely one reason why Tesla’s FSD subscription is so popular.
It’s likely that purchasing FSD is much more popular at the time of vehicle purchase, as owners can roll the cost of FSD into their financing rather than paying the full $8,000 later on.
IPO Filing
Interestingly enough, along with today’s news that Klarna is working with Tesla, Klarna has also filed for an IPO in the United States. It is one of the first financial tech (FinTech) companies to file for an IPO in 2025 and, interestingly, one of the first European companies to conduct an IPO in the United States.
For those who trade in the financial sector, this will be one to watch—Klarna was valued at around $46 billion in 2021 and is now valued at approximately $15 billion. Partnering with a large and well-known brand like Tesla could uplift Klarna, but that’s all financial speculation.
Earlier this year, Tesla released a update for its Beach Buggy Racing 2 game in update 2024.20, which brought a new leaderboard feature to the game.
Grab your wheel, and step on the accelerator, because it's time to take a look at Tesla’s updated Beach Buggy Racing 2 – Supercharger Edition.
Supercharger Leaderboards
Tesla introduced Supercharger Leaderboards to the game, which means anytime you’re at or near a Supercharger site, you can open up Beach Buggy Racing, and compete against other real people in a local leaderboard. Leaderboard are time-based, so that you’re able to compete against other drivers even if there’s no one else currently at the Supercharger.
Leaderboards are available for each track and are location specific, meaning that all Supercharger locations have their own unique leaderboard.
When you arrive at a Supercharger Tesla will prompt you to play Beach Buggy Racing and take a stab at the Leaderboards, but you don’t actually need to be charging to play. All the game requires is that your vehicle is physically at the Supercharger location.
So far, there are no global leaderboards, but competing with fellow Tesla owners at your local Supercharger offers a fun way to pass the time during a 15-minute charge.
Vehicle Colorizer
Not a Tesla App
One lesser known feature of Beach Buggy Racing is that changing your vehicle’s on-screen color through Tesla’s Colorizer will also change the way your vehicle looks in Beach Buggy Racing. It’s a neat little easter egg, but it's all the small details that count. The paint style options apply as well – so Solid, Matte, and Metallic also all reflect in the game.
How to Play Beach Buggy Racing
There are a few ways to play Beach Buggy Racing, and Tesla has thought of everything for this specific game.
You can open up the game from Tesla Arcade when the vehicle is in Park. You have three control options – using the touchscreen, using a Bluetooth or USB controller, or using your vehicle’s steering wheel.
If you’re using the steering wheel, keep in mind that unless you’ve got a Cybertruck with Steer-by-Wire, your actual wheels will also turn. This can add some flat spots to your tires if you play excessively. We recommend using a controller or the touchscreen. Keep in mind that if you’re playing with the vehicle’s steering wheel, you actually use the Brake pedal to accelerate, not the real accelerator pedal.
The author recently took first place at the Leaderboards for the Supercharger in Scarborough, so if you’re in Toronto anytime, feel free to challenge my score! If you’re a leaderboard holder, come let us know where you took first place in the forums.
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