You'll get more details about the program change later in 2016, Tesla says. However, you don't have to panic if you just pulled the trigger on your dream machine. Any existing orders will still qualify for completely free charging so long as you take delivery before April 1st.

This isn't great news if you can't justify buying a higher-end Tesla until 2017, but it's not surprising given the company's finances and ambitions. It just turned its first profit in 2 years, and staying in the black would be that much harder if the firm couldn't recoup the costs of running Supercharger stations. Also, the Model 3's runaway demand is bound to put pressure on Superchargers -- as Tesla says, those fees are needed to "reinvest in the network" and "accelerate its growth." It won't be fun to pay for that cross-country trek, but it might be crucial to making sure there are enough Superchargers to get you to your destination on time.