Tesla Launches Supercharging Cards in China, Letting You Lock In Supercharger Pricing

Tesla has introduced new prepaid Supercharger gift cards in China, timed ahead of the Lunar New Year. These cards let buyers purchase blocks of charging energy in advance for themselves or others, effectively prepaying kilowatt-hours instead of a currency value tied to current Supercharger rates.

The cards are sold as fixed energy amounts — for example, 500 kWh — so purchasing one locks in the card’s energy rate rather than paying whatever the per-kWh price is at a Supercharger later.

Varying Editions

The launch includes tiered options to suit different budgets and gifting needs. The shop lists three card categories:

The Enjoyable Edition is priced at ¥599 (approx. $83 USD) and provides 400 kWh of energy, which Tesla estimates translates to roughly 2,000 km of range on the Model 3 RWD.

The Commemorative Edition is priced at ¥800 (approx. $110 USD). It includes 500 kWh of energy (about 2,500 km of range on a Model 3 RWD) and a limited-edition perk: the first 10,000 purchasers can apply to receive a magnetic bottle opener shaped like a Supercharger.

The Trial Version is priced at ¥79 (approx. $11 USD) and contains 50 kWh of energy, roughly 250 km of range on the Model 3 RWD, intended as a low-cost way to try the prepaid Supercharging feature.

These cards are positioned as Lunar New Year gifts and are valid for 180 days.

* The card names above are literal translations.

9 Designs to Choose From

During purchase, buyers can select from nine card designs:

• Cybertruck
• Model 3
• Optimus
• V4 Superchargers
• Cybercab and Robovan
• Happy Birthday Card
• Romantic Optimus
• Generic White Gift Card
• Lunar New Year Firework (Limited Edition)

Utilization & Activation

After purchase, a card must be activated within 30 days. The Enjoyable and Memorial cards are valid for 180 days, with any remaining energy expiring after that period. The Trial card is valid for 30 days.

Unactivated cards can be transferred to another Tesla owner by entering their email in the Tesla App. Once activated, a card becomes the primary payment method for Supercharging. The Tesla App prioritizes the card with the nearest expiration date, and when one card is exhausted, the next card in line automatically begins billing (or your regular payment method is used).

If an account has other promotional charging mileage, the Supercharger Card balance is used first. Cards are tied to the account that activates them rather than a specific vehicle, so any vehicle on that Tesla account can use the card’s energy.

Gifting & Loyalty

Besides serving as a practical gift, the program encourages more drivers to use Tesla Superchargers. By prepaying for large amounts of energy with commemorative cards, Tesla captures revenue upfront and increases the likelihood that recipients will continue using Supercharger sites after the gifted energy is depleted. A driver with a prepaid 500 kWh balance is financially motivated to favor Superchargers where that balance applies over third-party chargers.