Tesla intends to charge for API access

[GregPeden]

Article for reference:
https://www.carscoops.com/2024/11/tesla-api-costs-go-live-and-could-kill-many-apps-one-dev-says-he-faces-60m-bill/

Coming in January.

I'm posting mostly for discussion and to make sure package maintainers are aware.

[chowdarygm]

Ya, interested to hear what others and maintainers think about this move by Tesla. Just with existing setup, it shows $1 worth of charges in last 4 days itself and at this rate, it would be quite a bit for a month.

[ajhoekstra]

If $1 get you through 4 days then the mentioned $10 discount on each account will get you through the month i suppose. Maybe some counters or settings to limit connections is enough.

[efficiencynerd]

Just adding another data point, in Canada I'm at $4 of usage out of $14 (CDN) free credit, Dec 1 to the 14th. So I guess I should be pretty safe most months unless I do abnormally more driving.

[PedroKTFC]

I'm trying to work out what their charging structure will be but it doesn't seem to be simple. Is there a simple table somewhere that explains it in simple English? I'm in the UK but I'm guessing other than difference in currency the principle will be the same worldwide.

[ksga]

The pricing structure is shown here:
https://developer.tesla.com/
At the moment it seems like I will stay well within the 10 USD discount (converted to local currency by Tesla to 71 DKK at the moment).

But - maybe a switch to streaming data would make sense. ABRP had me reconnect to the vehicle a few weeks ago, and they are using the streaming platform now. On the upside, data is refreshed a lot faster when using driving (every few seconds), but it seems like it is a bit random which ones are updated on each refresh (or maybe ABRP is filtering - temperatures for instance is shown on and off).

[PedroKTFC]

Thanks. That's a great clear link. My main use is to automatically open my electric gates when I leave and arrive home. I also use the BLE to refine the checks I make before I poll the car for data (charge flap open, car locked).

How did you get your own data? Do you keep your own data or can you get it from Tesla?

One final "worry" is if the automatic charging schedules Octopus Energy use count towards my usage or it's theirs! Some nights they seem to be waking it up several times!

[ksga]

Thanks. That's a great clear link. My main use is to automatically open my electric gates when I leave and arrive home. I also use the BLE to refine the checks I make before I poll the car for data (charge flap open, car locked).

How did you get your own data? Do you keep your own data or can you get it from Tesla?

One final "worry" is if the automatic charging schedules Octopus Energy use count towards my usage or it's theirs! Some nights they seem to be waking it up several times!

Login to developer.tesla,com and look at your app on the "Application Usage" tab.

[BlackBeltMike]

The pricing structure is shown here: https://developer.tesla.com/ At the moment it seems like I will stay well within the 10 USD discount (converted to local currency by Tesla to 71 DKK at the moment). But - maybe a switch to streaming data would make sense. ABRP had me reconnect to the vehicle a few weeks ago, and they are using the streaming platform now. On the upside, data is refreshed a lot faster when using driving (every few seconds), but it seems like it is a bit random which ones are updated on each refresh (or maybe ABRP is filtering - temperatures for instance is shown on and off).

What happened on the 7th December? Mine is showing the same pattern of behaviour

[Ali229]

Are we going to get charged automatically this month with the card on file, or do we have to opt in to something before it starts. Kind of scared to use this integration right now.

[skipishere]

@Ali229 if you go to the "billing and usage" page you can see how much it has been used and set limits

[michaelsteja]

@skipishere thanks for the screenshot! Can you share the URL as well? I don’t know how to get to that dashboard. I’ve created the token used in my Home Assistant Custom Tesla Integration configuration in an iOS app called “Auth for Tesla”.

[skipishere]

@michaelsteja I was going to do that but the link contains a GUID so it's probably unique (and behind authentication) best bet is to login to the developer web page and then click the billing and usage link

[Jay2645]

Does anyone know if folks using the legacy Owner API will be affected? I haven't switched to the Fleet API since I only read the sensors; I never actually take any actions.

[IanK6449]

I am in Australia and the API billing and usage page doesn't seem to be available so I can't add a payment method to my API integration. Is anybody else in Australia having the same issue or am I doing something wrong?

[michaelsteja]

@michaelsteja I was going to do that but the link contains a GUID so it's probably unique (and behind authentication) best bet is to login to the developer web page and then click the billing and usage link

Sure, that might be the ID of your application. But when I log in to the developer web page, I get an onboarding wizard called "Create Fleet API Application". Thus, I do not have any Fleet API application.

I created the token that I entered in the Custom Tesla Integration from an iOS App called "Auth for Tesla" and I assume that many others did so as well. Any clue whether we will be charged? Or will the bill of the Auth for Tesla developer grow indefinitely?

[skipishere]

Sounds like you aren't using the fleet API at all then. I'm assuming you either have read only access currently or an older Tesla?

[michaelsteja]

@skipishere Thanks for your quick reply!

Sounds like you aren't using the fleet API at all then

Unfortunately, I can't tell whether I'm using the fleet or owner API. I thought that this would depend on the implementation of this repository or does it support both?

I'm assuming you either have read only access currently or an older Tesla?

It's a 2023 Model 3. But I just tested an action and you're right! I can only read but sending a flash light command does not have any effect! I just get an "unknown error".

[skipishere]

This integration does both as it was built back before there was an official API (which is why it isn't in home assistant core)

There was a slow change from Tesla forcing people to start using the official API, my car made it to around September before I could only perform read only actions whereas others were forced much earlier.
In terms of if it will continue to allow read only access going forward is unknown, I generally use this integration to control the powerwall settings that were also unavailable locally in the past (& still seem to work without the fleet API for now)

[michaelsteja]

@skipishere Thank you very much for the explanation! 😊

[darek-margas]

My dashboard has nothing about cost

[GregPeden]

I can't find anything about payment or fees either. I'm in Canada. I wonder if it's USA only right now?

[skipishere]

From post dated 2024-11-27

Not all countries support payments at this time. Developers in countries that do not yet support payments will not have a Billing and Usage button in their application management dashboard. Developers in these countries should work to optimize their applications but do not need to take action at this time. Applications created from countries that do not support payment will have limited usage beginning in January 2025.

Seems like you might be a lucky location (for now). I'm UK based and have the billing button & graph