This post won't cover energy consumption, although eventually I might turn it into a standalone page. We'll see with time.
I've already described the ways you can charge a Tesla – AC, DC and so on.
AC -> Eleport/Elocity
On her way to work, J will use AC chargers rated up to 11 kW (in practice a bit less) whenever the battery drops below 50%. She'll charge at Eleport stations – 1.78 PLN per 1 kWh – or at the charger by Lidl (run through the Elocity app), which is close to her work (though 200 m further away), for 1.59 PLN per 1 kWh. That will be our main charging source for everyday weekday driving.
AC charging power can be adjusted via the current – the minimum is 5A and the maximum 16A (according to the app). That lets you charge at anywhere from about 3 kW to 11 kW.
Why don't we always charge at the full 11 kW? J's commute is about 40 km, which uses roughly 10% of the battery, since the route is 50% motorway, 30% expressway and only 20% built-up area. The car charges outdoors, so we've scheduled preconditioning for 15 minutes before J finishes work. That way the cabin is at a comfortable temperature and the battery reaches its optimal temperature for driving. This also shapes how we manage the charging power.
If we charge the car at full power and it then sits idle for 2-3 hours, preconditioning will draw energy from the traction battery. But if we set the charging power so that it hits 80% just before J leaves work, all the energy needed for preconditioning comes from the charger while it tops up. Sounds like a trifle, but in winter it can save 2-3% of energy. Better to set off in a fully charged Tesla (to 80%) than to lose those 2-3% and suddenly have to hunt for a charger if needed.
We also have AC on a GreenWay subscription at 1.75 PLN per 1 kWh, although there are no chargers available in our area yet (one is being built about 700 m from our block).
DC -> GreenWay/Lidl/Budimex/PowerDot/Polenergia/Ekoen – basically anywhere the price doesn't exceed 2.40 PLN per kWh
We use GreenWay most often. J gets 15 kWh a month on her free account, and I get 25 free kWh on my paid account. The paid account costs 30 PLN a month and offers rates of 2.40 PLN per kWh for DC and 1.75 PLN per kWh for AC. The free account has higher prices, so we only use it for the free kWh. Charging speeds at GreenWay vary; the highest I've seen on the map was 300 kW, though I don't know if the Tesla can actually reach that (400V architecture).
Lidl – our local charger hasn't opened yet, but near where we often visit J's family there's a working charger at 1.99 PLN per kWh for DC – a great price, although the charging speed is only 50 kW.
PowerDot – a station near J's family and at Biedronka stores (a Polish supermarket chain; ours has one too, still waiting to open, but it's already installed). The price is 2.99 PLN per kWh, but with a 20% discount from EVklub it comes to 2.40 PLN/kWh. DC speed is 120 kW.
Ekoen – very cheap charging, but they have very few stations (hubs in Zielona Góra and Warsaw). Someday I'll drive over and see what it's like.
Polenergia – a great network, but no stations in our area. They have a hub in Warsaw by Blue City. Why are they great? Their energy comes from renewables (wind turbines, solar), which is a big plus for me. The base DC price is 2.19 PLN per kWh, but promotions can get you lower prices (in October 2024 there was a weekend promo – DC for 1.75 PLN/kWh). In summer, when they have more cheap renewable energy, the promotions were even deeper.
Ionity – on long routes, with a subscription the price can be around 2.40 PLN per kWh, but there aren't any along our way (none in Warsaw).
That's all I've managed to figure out. Eventually this post will become a standalone page that I'll try to keep updated over time.
Oh wait, there's one more thing – there are currently 11 SuperCharger stations operating in Poland, in various versions (from 120 to 250 kW). The DC price is 1.80 PLN/kWh off-peak and 2 PLN/kWh at peak. There are two stations in Warsaw and none in Pomerania. Tesla SuperChargers. Magic. The way these stations work is what every charger should be.
Charging at a SuperCharger vs other stations
The standard charging procedure at a SuperCharger:
- I park at the charger.
- I take the cable off the charger.
- I press the button on the plug (the car's charge port opens).
- I plug it in.
- I get back in the car and relax for 10-15 minutes (or up to 30 minutes, depending on the state of charge – generally a SuC holds around 120-130 kW, peaking at 200 kW at the start).
- When the battery reaches the right level, I get out, press the button on the plug, pull it out and hang it back up.
- Tesla automatically charges the exact amount for the energy used.
- I get in and drive off.
The standard charging procedure at other stations:
- If I have a passenger (J), J checks whether the charger is free.
- If it's free, I park at the charger; if not, we look for another one (first we locate it on Plugshare, then we check availability in the app of the company running the charger).
- I open the charge port via S3XY (button or knob).
- I launch the app and look for the right connector.
- Once the app connects, I put the plug into the charge port.
- The app puts a hold on my card (from 1 PLN at Elocity to 100 PLN at Allego).
- I get in and relax (10-30 minutes, depending on needs and charging power; so far I've charged on DC at 50 to 135 kW).
- When charging is done, I tap "stop charging" and possibly "unlock port" (if I forget, I use the S3XY button).
- I pull out the plug and hang it back up.
- The company takes the payment (e.g. Elocity right away, Allego refunds the difference after 2-3 days).
- I get in and drive off.
A SuC is simply easier.